Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1477588.015 - Mountain Reload Llc.

Inspection Information - Office: Denver Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 5:45 a.m. on June 4, 2020, Employee # 1 was moving four railcars containing soda ash to the end of the spur to enable unloading of the soda ash. Work took place prior to start of the shift; prior to other employees arriving to site. There were no witnesses. Surveillance camera from a neighboring business captured video of a set of two rail cars passing through the scene. Approximately 35 seconds after the first set passed through the scene, a second set of two rail cars passed into the scene. The second set of rail cars struck the first set, pushing the rail cars into the barrier. Employee # 1 was believed to have been riding the leading platform of rail car 1 (of first set) operating the hand brake to position the rail car. He was found by a coworker, trapped between the first rail car and concrete/soil barrier. Employee # 1 was pinned between the railcar and the barricade. He suffered compressive asphyxia and was killed.

Keywords: Asphyxiated, Crushed, Flatbed Rail Car, Off Loading, Struck Against, Struck By, Vehicle