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### Inspection Detail

**Case Status: CLOSED**

#### **Inspection: 1639743.015 - Atlas Excavating, Inc.**

**Inspection Information - Office: Indiana**

 

**Inspection Nr**

**Report ID**

**Date Opened**

----

**Site Address**: 			   Atlas Excavating, Inc.			   523 South Madison AvenueGreenwood, IN 46142

**Mailing Address**: 			   4740 Swisher Road, West Lafayette, IN 47906

**Union Status**: Union

**SIC**:

**NAICS**: 237110/Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction

----

**Inspection Type**: Fat/Cat

**Scope**: Partial

**Advanced Notice**: N

**Ownership**: Private

**Safety/Health**: Safety

**Close Conference**: 03/23/2023

**Emphasis**:N:Trench

**Case Closed**: 01/10/2024

----

**Case Status: CLOSED**

#### **Investigation Summary**

**Investigation Nr**

**Event**

At 2:50 p.m. on December 16, 2022, a crew of four employees were excavating a trench to install concrete inlet/outlet boxes for underground utility services. Two employees were working in the trench, one employee was operating the John Deere 160G Excavator, and one employee was outside of the trench. The crew was aligning the concrete box that was approximately 41 and 1/2 inches in length and 37 inches wide with the other piping. The concrete box was rigged to the arm of the excavator for lowering it in place. The excavator operator lowered the concrete box and exited the excavator to discuss with the crew what adjustments needed to be made. The operator went to get back in the excavator to lift the concrete box when he unintentionally hit the control levers that controlled the arm. This caused the box to lift upwards and swing forward, away from excavator cab, and struck Employee #1. The operator attempted to correct the error and swung the arm back the other direction, towards the excavator cab, causing the concrete box to crush Employee #1 against the trench wall. Employee #1 died due to crushing injuries.

**Keywords:**concrete block, control lever, crushed, crushing, excavator, lifting, rigging, struck against, struck by, trench, wall
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