A Day Laborer Dies when He is Pinned Between a Loading Dock and a Backing Truck

California Case Report: 12CA009

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

A day laborer died when he was pinned between a loading dock and a backing truck. The victim was hired while standing in front of a home and garden store. His job was to load and unload trucks at a warehouse. He was attempting to climb up on a loading dock as a truck was backing up and was pinned between the two. The truck had rear-view mirrors on both sides of the truck as well as a working audible back-up alarm. The driver did not see the victim because he was in the truck’s blind spot. The contributing factor identified in this investigation was a worker in the backing zone of a truck with a blind spot.

A Day Laborer Dies when He is Pinned Between a Loading Dock and a Backing Truck [PDF 271 KB]