PREMIUM PERSONNEL, INC.

EMPLOYEE DIES AFTER BEING STRUCK IN CHEST BY LOADER BUCKET

AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 A.M. ON JULY 9, 1992, THE FOREMAN WAS OPERATING A CASE 184 5 SKID STEER LOADER ON A HILL WITH AN APPROXIMATE 5:1 PITCH. THE BUCKET FACED DO WNHILL TO PULL A SILT FENCE AND POST FROM THE GROUND TO PREPARE FOR REMOVAL. THE OPERATOR WOULD POSITION THE BUCKET UNDER THE FENCE WHILE EMPLOYEE #1 WOULD WRAP THE FENCE ON THE BUCKET. THE OPERATOR WOULD THEN LIFT THE BUCKET STRAIGHT UP TO PULL UP THE FENCE. AS THE FENCE LIFTED OUT, THE OPERATOR WOULD MOVE AND REPOSIT ION TO CONTINUE LIFTING. ON THE THIRD LIFT, THE OPERATOR HAD THE BUCKET APPROXIM ATELY 6 FEET IN THE AIR WHEN THE LOADER BECAME UNSTABLE AND BEGAN TO TIP FORWARD . THE OPERATOR LOWERED THE BUCKET TO STABILIZE THE LOADER. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS ON TH E LEFT SIDE OF THE LOADER. IT APPEARS THAT AT THE SAME TIME THE OPERATOR WAS LOW ERING THE BUCKET TO STABILIZE, EMPLOYEE #1 SLIPPED AND FELL AND THE LEFT CORNER OF THE BUCKET HIT HIS CHEST. HE DIED IN SURGERY LATER THAT DAY.