Day Laborer, First Day On The Job, Struck and Killed by Backhoe Bucket

New Jersey Case Report: 14NJ074
Release Date: April 25, 2016
 

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 34-year-old Hispanic day laborer was killed after he was hit in the head by the bucket of a backhoe loader. The incident occurred in the parking lot of a health care facility in northern NJ. On the day of the incident, the victim was helping two other workers build a concrete block retaining wall. It was his first day on the job. A backhoe loader was being used to transport concrete blocks from a staging pile to the wall by connecting blocks to the bucket of the backhoe with a chain. The victim was standing near the backhoe loader preparing to connect a block to the bucket when the operator, not realizing the victim was there, rotated the boom. The bucket struck the victim’s head and pinned him against the stack of blocks. The victim suffered blunt force head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene about fifteen minutes later.

Day Laborer, First Day On The Job, Struck and Killed by Backhoe Bucket - New Jersey [PDF 1,284KB]