Accident: 814822 - Killed In Fall While Loading Truck Trailer

Employee #1 was loading a trailer with concrete forms, and was last seen standing on top of the load. He fell approximately 11 ft 6 in. to the ground and died of a ruptured aorta.

construction, trailer truck, loading, fall, rupture, artery, work rules, unstable position

Accident: 170564918 - Dies After Forklift Crash Severs Artery In Leg

At approximately 8:00 p.m. on December 3, 1997, Employee #1 was operating a standup-style powered forklift as he and a coworker cleaned up at the end of the day. Employee #1 was attempting to back the forklift to the charging station when he lost control of the vehicle and then lost his balance, partially falling out of the operator's compartment. The forklift crashed into a wall, crushing Employee #1's upper leg and severing an artery. The coworker called 911 and helped move the forklift away from Employee #1. The rescue squad arrived within 15 minutes and rushed Employee #1 to the hospital, where he died at 9:30 a.m. the next day. Employee #1 was inadequately trained to operate the forklift.

untrained, backing up, lost balance, crushed, artery, ind trk operator, lost control, leg, severed, walk-behind forklift

Accident: 170008304 - Killed In Auto Accident

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on November 3, 1997, Employee #1 was driving his own car to pick up supplies for his employer when he was involved in a traffic accident. He suffered a blunt force injury to his chest, that lacerated his aorta. Employee #1 was killed.

driver, automobile, crushed, laceration, artery, traffic accident, chest, vehicle

Accident: 201790243 - Struck In Neck By Shovel, Later Dies Of Blood Clot

Employee #1 was working behind a trencher, using a shovel to remove dirt. The shovel struck the chain drive and the handle kicked back, striking him on the left side of the neck. Employee #1 was knocked to the ground but he continued working and did not seek medical attention. At the end of the day, he went home and fell asleep. As Employee #1 was preparing for work the next morning, he became disoriented, had trouble walking, and could not speak. Medical services was called and Employee #1 was transported to the hospital. He had suffered a severed blow to an artery that resulted in a blood clot. Employee #1 died on August 17, 1997.

construction, shovel, kick back, struck by, neck, artery, blood clot, hand tool, struck against

Accident: 200980019 - Killed In Fall From Mountain Peak

Employee #1, an acclaimed climbing guide with dozens of years of back-country experience, was leading a regular client up a 13,772 ft mountain peak. They were 500 ft below the summit when Employee #1 stopped to put on crampons and to secure himself and his client. He inserted a nut into a fissure in the mountain, and then moved horizontally a short distance before he began his ascent. He trailed his rope behind him, approximately 130 ft of it free to run from the anchor to his client. At some point during his climb, Employee #1 either slipped on the icy surface, or encountered some loose rock, and fell 120 ft. Although the nut held and arrested his fall, Employee #1 sustained, among other injuries, a compound fracture of the femur and a ruptured femoral artery. As a result of his internal injuries, Employee #1 went into hemorrhagic shock and died. Employee #1 had not asked his client for a belay, nor had he secured additional anchor points as he ascended. Both of these actions could have significantly reduced the distance of his fall. Conditions on the mountain had been recognized as difficult at that time of year, due to an unusually harsh winter and spring. One other fatality had already occurred that season.

fall protection, slip, slippery surface, lifeline, fracture, artery, loss of blood, hemorrhage, leg

Accident: 951137 - Killed When Chain Saw Severs Artery

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on April 3, 1997, Employee #1 was limbing a large oak tree that he had just felled. He cut an approximately 30 ft long by 8 in. diameter limb approximately 7 ft from the tree. He then moved up the limb to saw off a 2 ft long section that had a 5 ft long by 2 in. diameter limb protruding from it at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The employee positioned his chain saw beneath the protruding 8 in. diameter limb; after the cut was made, the weight of the chain saw dropped it downward toward Employee #1. As he stumbled backward, the saw cut into the inside of his left thigh, severing the artery, and causing him to bleed to death.

logging, artery, laceration, thigh, chain saw, severed, portable power tool, loss of blood, limbing