Machinery Crushes Workers

A mechanic was killed when a bus fell on him. He apparently had used a 12-ton bottle jack under the differential to raise the rear of the 35,000-pound (15,875-kilogram) bus. It appeared that he then crawled under the bus to work on the suspension. The bottle jack slid forward and the bus fell, crushing him.

In a similar incident, a farmer was crushed when a stock shredder he was working on fell on him. He had hydraulically raised the shredder and was working underneath without having placed blocks under it. The hydraulic shutoff valves to the tractor, to which the shredder was attached, were not shut off. Apparently the tractor’s hydraulic system leaked at the connection which caused the shredder to slowly fall on him. He was declared dead at the scene.

Be sure that all equipment with a potential to fall is properly jacked or blocked before you work under it. Ensure that you follow manufacturers’ instructions when raising and securing equipment.