Great Bucket Truck

Report of a bucket truck accident and subsequent litigation in the United States.
Imagine as follows, it’s a nice fall day…
A new signalized intersection has been installed as part of a state contract. The only work remaining over the roadway is to finish hanging the new vehicle signals from the span wire. It is late afternoon and you plan to ‘wrap up’ the day’s work by installing a turn arrow in a new signal head….maybe a 15 or 20 minute job….
The intersection is 5-legged with the 5th leg a 1-way outbound. The primary roadway is 4-lanes, with traffic volumes moderate and traffic speeds are posted at 30 mph. So, you have your bucket truck parked in the curb lane, and the traffic control devices are placed to close this (curb) lane, you can angle the boom over the 2nd or inside lane so you schedule a patrolman from 9-3 for traffic control.
Sounds ‘routine’ right?
Now consider,
The work runs late, and the foreman dismisses the patrolman and assigns the electrician’s helper to conduct traffic control. The helper is also working on a corner pedestrian signal pedestal and passing tools to the bucket operator while the foreman and the other electrician leave for another job. However, the foreman is aware of a municipal “no work rule” from 3 PM through 6 PM and did not disclose this to the workers. There are high voltage trolley lines through the overhead area so the electrician has the bucket ‘low’, at about 13 ½ foot clearance.
So, what happens?
A tractor trailer truck goes through the intersection and hits the low bucket; the electrician is flipped out of the bucket and lands on the roof of the trailer. He didn’t have a lanyard nor was he harnessed, so in effect, the electrician has substantial medical bills, needs surgery; and he can’t work for months.
So, what happened here?
The CDL truck operator ‘failed to maintain a lookout’, or a safe distance between vehicles, and he doesn’t recall the exact height of his truck. The truck driver says, “… I am generally familiar with this intersection, as I’ve driven through it before. I saw the cones and followed them around the bucket truck. I just followed the car in front of me through the intersection. I don’t recall seeing the bucket or its operator and I don’t recall seeing my signal light…”
What about Traffic Control?

The foreman and crew members disagree slightly but more or less say:
“…The traffic control, for the primary lane, was set up with a flashing arrow board, a road construction sign ahead, and a right lane closed sign. The other inbound approach had signs as well.”
The injured electrician says:
“…The trolley wires prevented me from raising the bucket higher…”
He didn’t object to the traffic control in place.
He has 10 years operating bucket trucks but only about 6 months with this traffic signal company. His prior experience was as a lineman for a power company.
The other electrician says:
“…Before I got called to go to the other job, I was going to install the signal arrows. I went into position (with the bucket) with no problem…”
Now consider the electrician’s company:
They had generic tail-gate safety meetings and company literature, but they had no formal training program. Prior to the accident, the foreman was IMSA certified; the other workers were not. Since the accident, the other workers have been IMSA certified.
So what should have been done?
1. Provide an exclusive trained/certified traffic controller or traffic regulator.
Even though the policeman was dismissed, how could the electrical helper control traffic, work on the signal, and pass tools to the bucket man simultaneously? NO way!
2. Recognize hazards and adjust the TCP (Traffic Control Plan).
The nonstandard 5-legged, complex geometric intersection with moderate volumes and speeds combined with the low trolley wires and/or the inside lane work required the staging of the work by either:
• Closing the inside lane(s)
• Closing the intersection
3. Traffic Control Devices
Granted, the usual traffic control devices were in place, but where was the ‘Flagger ahead’ sign? This is an extraordinary situation. Supplemental devices should have been used to maximize conspicuity. (Remember, the truck driver didn’t see the bucket or bucket man). They should have had a minimum of:
• High level warning devices such as flag trees,
• Supplemental signs flags, or
• Type B high intensity flashing warning light(s)
4. Training
Why was the electrical helper assigned as a traffic controller or regulator without training? NO Way! Why was the electrician (and other crew members) not formally trained until after the accident? To say to a new employee in this case, go up in the bucket with no training, NO Way!
5. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
Abide by OSHA regulations (harness, lanyard).
6. Work Over An Open Lane
While not precluded by OSHA, consider a local policy prohibiting work over an open lane (vehicles pass under the boom).
Clearly, many issues are at hand in this case. The major ones are improper supervision, improper traffic control, and lack of adequate training. And don’t forget, the bucket operator was too low and the truck driver failed to maintain a lookout.
The result?
An out of court settlement (to the electrician/bucket operator) was reached at the last minute. The employer and the trucking company combined for a several hundred thousand dollar payment.
What Should You Learn?
Remember, temporary traffic control zones are dynamic changing areas. Your Traffic Control Plan must be proportionate with the risk at hand. The MUTCD and state/provincial manuals prescribe minimum standards. This case is an extraordinary situation requiring more than just minimum adherence.

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