Lone Worker Dies

A mechanic was killed while repairing a large excavator by himself because his employer didn’t have a lone work policy, according to state investigators.

On April 7, 2023, the mechanic was tasked with installing a swing drive into an excavator used on a construction site. Because of the work to be done on the excavator was de-energized before the mechanic began working. The 36-year-old mechanic was found dead from asphyxiation, having been trapped in a head-down position for hours during his attempt to install a swing drive into the excavator while he was alone.

The mechanic had been working for the employer for about three weeks, but he had several years of experience as both a heavy equipment operator and a mechanic.

FACE investigators found that:

• The mechanic had prior experience installing excavator swing drives
• Ratchet straps, a come-along, and other tools for the job posed trip hazards near the swing drive compartment
• The boom side operator’s cab window was shattered when the incident happened, and
• The employer had no written safety policy for lone workers.

To prevent a similar incident, FACE investigators recommended developing and enforcing policies that:

• Prohibit lone work and instead require using a buddy system where workers team up and can help each other if someone is endangered,
• Require a formal job hazard analysis to be conducted jointly by supervisors and workers to identify hazards for lone work,
• Provide and require the use of lone worker monitoring technology or communication procedures if lone work is unavoidable, and
• Require supervisors to routinely observe workers to ensure they’re following safety policies and procedures.