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Operator of a Trailer Tipper Fatally Struck by a Tractor Trailer at a Landfill
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2018/05/24
[PDF-2.25 MB]
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Description:On February 6, 2016, a 55-year-old equipment operator (victim) was killed while operating a trailer tipper at a landfill. The trailer tipper in this case had a movable platform that could hold, raise, and tilt a trailer to over 60 degrees and discharge the refuse through its rear doors (Photo 1). To get on the tipper, a tractor trailer had to back onto the trailer tipper deck. The communication between a tipper operator and a delivery driver was through a designated CB radio channel. The incident occurred on a Saturday at around 11 AM when the victim was operating the tipper and the last tractor trailer was getting ready to back onto the tipper. The trailer was hauled by a military surplus tractor ("army truck"). The "army truck" did not have a backup alarm and its radio was broken so there was no radio communication between the victim and the truck driver. At the time of the incident, the victim exited the operator's cab of the tipper and walked to the other side of the deck where the hydraulic controls for the tipper outrigger cylinders were located. He was wearing a high visibility vest. A landfill bulldozer operator stated that he saw the victim standing on the deck leaning over the outrigger controls. Meanwhile the "army truck" was backing onto the trailer deck. The bulldozer operator yelled into his CB radio to stop the delivery driver from backing onto the tipper; the "army truck" driver heard nothing since the truck radio was broken. The bulldozer operator could not warn the victim since the CB radio was inside the operator's cab and the victim could not hear the radio once he was outside the cab. The "army truck" driver did not see the victim and he continued backing onto the tipper deck. The victim was run over by the rear wheels of the trailer on the passenger side suffering fatal crushing injuries. The bulldozer operator got to the front of the tipper to signal the driver who stopped the truck. The bulldozer operator immediately called 911. EMTs responded and arrived at the site within minutes, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1. The tipper operator and the "army truck" driver could not communicate with each other because the truck's radio was broken. 2. The tipper operator left the operator's cab and was on the deck while the "army truck" was backing onto the tipper. 3. The delivery truck driver backed the tractor trailer onto the deck without knowing/seeing that the tipper operator was on the deck. 4. The bulldozer operator could not warn the tipper operator because he could not communicate with the tipper operator once he was out of the operator's cab. 5. The "army truck" did not follow the standard operating procedure at the landfill. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Landfill employers should implement measures to prevent tractor trailers from backing onto the tipper deck when a tipper operator is on the deck. 2. Landfill employers should provide additional communication methods for the equipment operators and other pedestrian workers who work around heavy mobile equipment. 3. Landfill employers should require that all visiting vehicles have the important safety features such as properly working CB radios and backup alarms. 4. Landfill employers should develop and implement a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure the safety of the tipper operators. 5. Landfill employers should develop and implement a comprehensive landfill waste disposal policy to ensure the safety of landfill employees and customers. 6. Landfill employers should provide training to ensure that workers understand and follow the SOP at the working face and the landfill waste disposal policy. 7. Solid waste trucking companies should follow the landfill safety policy and ensure that the vehicles meet the landfill's safety requirements and their employees follow the landfill safety policy.
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Content Notes:Date supplied by FACE Program. Publication date not indicated on resource.
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Pages in Document:1-10
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NIOSHTIC Number:20053103
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NTIS Accession Number:PB2019-100104
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Citation:Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 16NY009, 2018 May; :1-10
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Email:boh@health.ny.gov
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Federal Fiscal Year:2018
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Performing Organization:New York State Department of Health/Health Research Incorporated
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Peer Reviewed:False
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Start Date:2005/07/01
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End Date:2026/06/30
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Resource Number:FACE-16NY009
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