Waste Hauler Fined $46K After Worker Fatality

Friday, September 21, 2018 | 0

After Bay Area garbage hauler was run over by his own truck, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited his employer for failing to ensure that the truck’s safety restraint was in good working order, and for failing to ensure that that it wasn’t used by workers driving from the right side of the truck.

Cal/OSHA said a GreenWaste Recovery worker was run over while collecting recyclables in San Jose on March 2. He was making a turn while operating the truck from the right hand side when he fell out of the vehicle.

Cal/OSHA’s inspection determined that the truck had a safety chain for the truck cab opening that could not be used because a part was missing.

“Collection vehicles with the option to operate the truck from the right-hand side must be equipped with an occupant restraint system such as a door, locking or latching bar, safety chain or strap,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. “To prevent serious and fatal injuries, employers must maintain occupant restraints in working order and ensure the restraints are used by workers.”

Cal/OSHA issued two general and two serious accident-related citations totaling $46,270 in proposed penalties to GreenWaste Recovery. The serious accident-related citations were issued for the employer’s failure to ensure that occupant restraints were being used by workers driving from the right-hand side of the truck, and for failure to identify and evaluate the unsafe work practice.

In addition, the employer received two general citations for not maintaining vehicle safety equipment.

Cal/OSHA said it conducted inspections of GreenWaste Recovery involving three separate worker injuries in 2016 and 2017.