APRIL 9, 2015
HANOVER TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA
A worker died Thursday when he was struck by a construction
vehicle along Route 22 in Hanover, Washington County, about two miles from the
West Virginia border.
According to the Washington County coroner, Legrant
Blackwell, 43, was walking with his back to a utility guardrail vehicle on the
roadway when the vehicle was driving in reverse.
Blackwell was in the driver’s blind spot, was
struck and became trapped under the vehicle.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 962 workers
were killed at roadway construction sites from 2003 to 2010. Of those 962
deaths, 143 were caused by a vehicle or mobile equipment in reverse. The
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently issued
recommendations to prevent these types of accidents.
In addition to complying with all applicable
regulations for worker safety and traffic control, NIOSH recommends the
following best practices for preventing backover injuries on construction
sites.
Employers should develop operating procedures that minimize
the work to be performed near vehicles.
Equipment should be designed to minimize blind spots and
with proximity warning systems, such as alarms and beeps.
Workers should wear high visibility apparel, especially at
night, and be aware of equipment paths at the site.
Design sites to minimize backing vehicles and equipment.
Provide adequate supervision.
Ensure a spotter is used whenever a driver needs to back up.
Ensure daily communication between prime and subcontractors
to ensure everyone understands the traffic flow and any changes are communicated
in a timely manner.
Channel vehicles and equipment away from workers using
highly visible reflective barriers, barricades and cones.
Install signage to help workers on foot avoid traffic zones.
Ensure that vehicles are properly inspected and maintained
in safe operating condition.
Install collision avoidance or proximity warning systems on
construction vehicles.
Develop a targeted training program that focuses on
backover injuries and covers the following topics:
Operator visual limits of the equipment being used on site
Standard operating procedures that keep workers on foot away
from vehicles