Worker killed in Darien pavement roller accident
By Evan Anstey, News 4 Digital Producer
Published: August 26, 2016, 2:48 pm
DARIEN, N.Y. (WIVB) — A worker was killed in an accident involving a pavement roller in Darien Friday morning.
The accident happened on Broadway Road in the Genesee County town of Darien, 25 miles east of Buffalo.
Aaron Wellman, 40, was driving the roller onto a trailer on Broadway when he lost control, according to New York State Police. At this time, the roller overturned off the trailer, crushing the worker, leaving Wellman unresponsive.
He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Wellman’s death was an accident, and medical officials are working to determine his cause of death. Which was "crushed by overturned pavement roller, suffering blunt force trauma to the head and torso".
These are typical accidents that happen with these rollers. Here is another case where a worker killed by such machine.
Employee was operating an asphalt roller as part of a roadway repaving job. The roller ran off the edge of the shoulder, overturned, and rolled down a 10 ft bank. Employee #1 was killed when he was crushed under the vehicle as it rolled on top of him.
Asphalt Roller Topples - Injures Driver
The crew had just completed roadwork and was loading the roller onto a tilting float. Because the drums are smooth and have little traction, the operator positioned the machine some 20 feet behind the trailer to get up speed and gain enough momentum to drive it up the ramps onto the trailer.
The roller made it part way onto the float, but when the rear drum started up the ramps it lost traction, and the front roller started spinning and began to slide sideways. The operator decided his best move was to put the machine in reverse and back down the ramps. By this time the rear drum has spread the ramps apart, and as the machine slid backwards, it toppled to the side. Fortunately, the operator was wearing his seatbelt and received only minor injuries.
Recommended Preventive Action
- Powered mobile equipment must be equipped with Rollover Protective Structure (ROPs); and the operator shall use a seatbelt or restraining devices while the equipment is in motion.
- When possible, use the low-bed trailer with detachable gooseneck. Always load and unload the equipment at the front end of the low-bed. The trailer must be situated on a level and solid surface prior to before loading and unloading, and the wheels must be chocked. A slight downhill slope may assist the loading of double drum steel rollers (see Figure A).
- Make sure the ramps are of sufficient width. Ramps should also be long enough to provide a safe loading slope and equipped with a locking mechanism to prevent the ramps from kicking out (see Figure B).
- Ramp surface should be made of slip-resistant material to ensure maximum traction. Be sure the surface is kept clean and free of grease, oil, ice and loose material.
- Roller should be within the manufacturer’s recommended speeds when loading. If the operator experiences difficulties, relocate the float to a more suitable terrain.
