MNVA RAILROAD, INC.

RAILROAD EMPLOYEE CRUSHED BETWEEN RAIL MAINTENANCE MACHINES

EMPLOYEE #1, A RAILROAD EMPLOYEE WORKING ON A TIE REPLACEMENT CREW, CREW, WAS SE RIOUSLY INJURED WHEN HE WAS CRUSHED BETWEEN A SCARIFYER MACHINE AND A TIE EXTRAC TOR MACHINE. THE SCARIFYER MACHINE WAS COASTING IN NEUTRAL AND MOVING SOUTHBOUND ON THE RAIL WHEN THE MACHINE'S OPERATOR NOTICED THAT THE TIE EXTRACTOR MACHINE WAS PARKED 25 TO 30 FEET AHEAD ON THE TRACKS. FOR SOME REASON EMPLOYEE #1 HAD PL ACED HIMSELF DIRECTLY BEHIND THE TIE EXTRACTOR AND BETWEEN THE TWO VEHICLES. THE SCARIFYER OPERATOR ATTEMPTED TO STOP BY FIRST APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEN ATTEMPT ING TO PLACE THE HYDROSTATIC TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE BY DEPRESSING THE FOOT CONT ROL. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AFTER RECENT TEMPORARY REPAIRS TO THE SCA RIFYER MACHINE, THE HYDRAULIC DRIVE MOTOR AND ATTACHED HOSES HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY CONNECTED, CAUSING THE FOOT PEDAL CONTROL TO OPERATE IN REVERSE OF NORMAL. WHEN THE FOOT CONTROL WAS ACTUATED, THE SCARIFYER MACHINE WAS PLACED IN FORWARD GEAR RATHER THAN REVERSE. EMPLOYEE #1 SUSTAINED SERIOUS BACK AND ABDOMINAL INJURIES WHEN HE WAS CRUSHED AT THE POINT OF IMPACT BETWEEN THE TWO MACHINES.