I have a graduate degree in human factors with extensive experience in construction-related accidents. I am a registered engineer in many states, and I’ve handled multiple cases involving injuries related to, and caused by, construction equipment. These cases have involved cranes, excavators, and concrete haulers. My previous experience includes warnings, operations, evaluation of equipment manuals, and operator experience. I have previously testified in all these areas.
My initial thoughts are that this case involves many facets of human factors including warnings, perception, supervision, organizational structure, OSHA, safety, and engineering. Specifically, this case has many applications to the Human Factors Accident Classification System (HFACS) that evaluates accidents and injuries from the top down — from organizational structure to supervisory issues and training, as well as employer/employee issues. Organizational structure and training are likely significant contributing factors in this case. It is also likely that the manufacturer may be involved regarding training, certification, and the quality/content of the equipment manual(s). My previous experience has revealed that these manuals may be poorly written and difficult for construction workers to comprehend because they are written for employees with education beyond high school and some level of college. This was confirmed through usability testing and research. The operator must clearly understand the full operational controls and limits of the equipment, he must be properly trained/certified in accordance with industry standards and adequate operating experience, and must be capable of understanding the equipment manuals and the limitations of his experience. Based on the catastrophic injury that occurred it sounds as if many of these shortfalls clearly occurred at multiple levels within the organizational structure.
