Engineer Crushed by Compactor

A technical engineer died after being crushed by a 12-ton bulldozer at a landfill.

The victim was obtaining a soil sample, while a landfill employee was bulldozing a road to a new dumping area. The steel compactor-type wheels on the bulldozer were 36 inches (91.4 cm) high, 30 inches (76.2 cm) wide, with three-inch (7.6 cm) round, one-foot (30.5-cm) long cleats.

The operator was driving away from the entrance. The victim entered the site and parked along the new road to take a sample. He was facing away from the bulldozer when the operator backed up over the same ground to compact it.

The victim was caught and crushed between the wheel and the body of the bulldozer, and dragged for about 15 feet (4.6 meters) before another employee alerted the operator.

The bulldozer operator had limited visibility because he had only one mirror, on the left side of the cab. The back-up alarm was not working and the driver did not know the victim was present.

Safety features must be operable at all times. Equipment should have devices such as mirrors to eliminate blind spots. Workers must ensure operators are aware of their presence prior to working near operating equipment.