Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1540806.015 - American Cast Iron Pipe Company

Inspection Information - Office: Birmingham Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 10:45 a.m. on July 1, 2021, an employee, the switchman, was standing on the front steps of the locomotive at the engineer's side. A coworker was operating the locomotive and traveling approximately 10 miles per hour in the trainyard when an approximate 9.5-inch section of railhead broke off causing a derailment. The derailment started shortly after the switch with the engine and ended with the engine completely derailed and the first car partially derailed. Before the train stopped, the engineer's side of the engine struck two scrap hopper cars that were part of another train that was stopped and located on the adjacent Pond track. The employee was riding on the engine's front steps on the engineer's side when the derailment occurred and was caught between the engine and the second scrap hopper car on the Pond track. The employee was crushed and had severe lacerations to the chest and abdominal areas. The employee was killed from these injuries.

Keywords: Abdomen, Caught Between, Chest, Crushed, Laceration, Locomotive, Train