FACEValue: Highway line painter dies after being struck by vehicle

Case report: #16-MA-023-01
Issued by: Massachusetts Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program
Date of incident: June 28, 2016

On the day of the incident, a 52-year-old foreman employed by a roadway painting and safety company was killed when he was struck by a car. The victim was part of a work crew painting roadway lines within a highway work zone at night. While he was standing in front of his work truck, a vehicle entered the work zone. The vehicle struck the victim and continued forward, hitting a cone truck that was backing up. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Contributing factors identified in the incident investigation include the victim being on foot and in proximity to the edge of the work zone, and the driver of the vehicle that struck the victim allegedly being under the influence of alcohol.

To help prevent similar occurrences:

Employers should:

• Ensure shadow vehicle operators remain inside the shadow vehicle’s cab at all times while in an active work zone.
• Provide routine start-of-shift reminders of potential hazards.

Transportation departments should:

• Consider using blue LED light tower trailers in work zones where a police detail is not required and the roadway speed limit is greater than 45 mph.

Motorists should:

• Never drink and drive, and always plan ahead to ensure they have a ride with a sober driver.

To download the full report, go to cdc.gov/niosh/face/pdfs/16ma023.pdf.