i
Two Tow Truck Drivers Killed When Struck in a Highway Breakdown Lane - Massachusetts
-
2006/05/22
[PDF-225.93 KB]
Details:
-
Corporate Authors:
-
Description:On February 20, 2004, two male tow truck operators (the victims), ages 23 and 24, were fatally injured when a passing car struck them as they stood in the breakdown lane of a major interstate highway. Victim #1, the 23-year-old, was returning to the company office after towing a car with a conventional tow truck to a drop off location a few towns away. Victim #1 pulled into the breakdown lane when he noticed the tow truck's alternator light was on and radioed the company office for help. Victim #2, responding to the call for help, drove a flatbed tow truck to the incident location. Both victims were standing on the left side of the trucks parked in the breakdown lane when a passing motorist crossed into the breakdown lane striking both victims and both trucks. A call was placed for emergency medical services (EMS) by passing motorists and EMS responded to the scene within minutes. Victim #1 was pronounced dead at the scene and victim #2 was transported to a local hospital were he was pronounced dead. The Massachusetts Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program concluded that to prevent similar occurrences in the future, employers should: 1. Ensure that employees use the tow equipment control levers located on the side of the tow truck farthest from approaching traffic; 2. Ensure that employees use portable emergency warning devices to help alert approaching motorists of the stopped emergency vehicles ahead; 3. Supply and ensure that employees wear appropriate personal protective equipment, including high visibility vests when working along highways and streets; 4. Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOP) for responding to highway and street incidents that include minimizing time spent on the side of the vehicle that is closest to approaching traffic; and 5. Develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive safety program that includes training on hazard recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions. In addition, policymakers should consider the feasibility of enacting a "mover law".
-
Subjects:
-
Keywords:
-
FACE - NIOSH and State:
-
Series:
-
Subseries:
-
DOI:
-
Publisher:
-
Document Type:
-
Funding:
-
Genre:
-
Place as Subject:
-
CIO:
-
Topic:
-
Location:
-
Pages in Document:1-10
-
NIOSHTIC Number:20030817
-
NTIS Accession Number:PB2006-114591
-
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 04MA005, 2006 May; :1-10
-
Federal Fiscal Year:2006
-
Performing Organization:Massachusetts Department of Health
-
Peer Reviewed:False
-
NAICS and SIC Codes:
-
Start Date:1992/09/30
-
End Date:2006/08/31
-
Resource Number:FACE-04MA005
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
