Heavy Equipment Mechanic Dies when an Elevated Dump Truck Tag Axle Pins Him to the Concrete Floor, Kentucky

SUMMARY

On September 19, 2013, at approximately 4:28 p.m. a 58-year-old heavy equipment mechanic was replacing an air bag on a tri-axle dump truck. The victim was under the truck and axle, which was resting on a hydraulic floor jack. While the victim was under the axle, he inadvertently placed his hand on the jack causing the floor jack to lower and pin him between the axle and the concrete floor. At 4:48 p.m. the shop security camera shows the victim’s fellow mechanic return to the shop after he finished repairing a truck he was working on. He returned to the shop where the victim was working, to get ready to leave for the day. He yelled for the victim but received no answer. The mechanic observed the victim’s legs and called out his name again, with no response. The mechanic walked around the truck to the passenger side and observed the victim’s left hand on the handle of the jack. The mechanic removed the victim’s hand from the jack and shook him without getting a response. He yelled for other employees to dial 911 for assistance. The victim’s head was pointed toward the jack which was on the front side of the tag axle. The victim was lying on his right side with 1/3 of his body on the creeper. The mechanic started jacking the jack but it would not move. He then turned the handle and the jack started elevating. Once the axle was lifted off the victim, another employee pulled the victim out from under the truck on the creeper. Employees trained in first aid and CPR started CPR and put an AED device on the victim and placed a call to EMS at 4:51pm. EMS and the Sheriff arrived six minutes after the call was placed, and the victim was transported via ambulance to the hospital. After being crushed by the dump truck, the victim succumbed to his injuries due to compression asphyxia on September 21, 2013 at 1:50 am.

Heavy Equipment Mechanic Dies when an Elevated Dump Truck Tag Axle Pins Him to the Concrete Floor, Kentucky [PDF 599 KB]