April 11 was a chilly and windy day at the tunnel construction site in Rødbyhavn. A hired crew around a 15-ton Takeuchi excavator was installing light poles on the site. Around 2 pm, the crew ran out of dry concrete, and they took a break of about ten minutes while waiting for another load.
Phone call
During the sudden break, one employee’s mobile phone rang. The employee moved behind the excavator by the left track to find shelter during the conversation. And then it went wrong.
Blind spots
The machine operator resumed work. He turned the machine to the right to keep the dry concrete over a trench where there were no pedestrians. The operator saw the other employees standing eight meters away at the work area and assumed it was safe to start the machine.
A Takeuchi TB2150R excavator is equipped with both mirrors and a rearview camera. But the position at the machine’s left rear is one of many blind spots.
The boot was caught
Without being able to see his colleague, the operator began to move forward at idle speed. The colleague, still talking on the phone, stood close to the machine’s left track and did not move in time. His boot was caught in the track, and he was struck, resulting in severe injuries to his right leg. The machine moved about 0.3-1.0 meters before the other colleagues got the operator to stop.
The operator immediately backed the machine away, and first aid was quickly administered. However, upon arrival at the hospital, it became clear that the injuries were so extensive that the leg had to be amputated.
Immediate order to FLC
This is how the incident is described in the WEA’s decision, which FemernReport has obtained. The accident triggered an immediate order to FLC to ensure that the excavator “is not started before it is ensured that it can be done safely. In this context, it must be ensured that employees do not stay near the machine or within its operating radius,” according to the WEA report.
Work accidents are always the employer’s responsibility, even if employees act recklessly. FLC has initiated an internal investigation of the incident and does not wish to comment on the matter until the investigations are completed.
Also read: Three accidents in three weeks: No certification required for excavator operators
