Avoiding Fatalities: Inspector Run Over by an Asphalt Truck

This video is part of series of animated videos, created by ARTBA as a part of the FHWA Cooperative Agreement DTFH61-11-H-00029 and the OSHA Cooperative Agreement SH-24861-13-60-F-11. This video series is based on actual fatalities as investigated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) and documented in NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) reports. The videos follow the course of the accident and subsequent fatality and provide recommendations designed to control or eliminate the identified risk.

A 36 year-old male construction inspector for the county died when an asphalt dump truck backed over him. The truck was bringing hot asphalt to a new road being constructed in a new housing project. The decedent was wearing an orange reflective vest and hardhat at the time of the incident. The asphalt dump truck was greater than 2.5 ton capacity and the back-up alarm was operational and functioning properly. The truck traveled approximately 770 feet in reverse before backing over the decedent. The decedent had his back to the vehicle. The truck driver stated he was traveling approximately 5 to 10 miles per hour when the incident occurred and that he never saw the decedent. Emergency medical personnel responded within seven minutes of being called and pronounced him dead at the scene. Taken from FACE summary — California FACE Investigation 00CA005