Unmarked Pit
Date of Issue: July 1995Hazard Summary
A feller buncher operator, while driving his machine on the road right-of-way towards a main haul road, drove over what seemed to be a snow-covered level spot (ice). However, as soon as the machine's left track reached the ice, it broke through into a 2.4 metre (8 ft.) water-filled pit. The machine rolled to the left, submerging all but 0.6 metres (2 ft.) of the operator's cab. When the machine rolled, it placed the cab door firmly against the ice, leaving the operator trapped in cold water up to his shoulders. After approximately 20 minutes, a fellow employee came upon the accident scene and rescued the operator, who recovered after being treated for hypothermia.
Cause
The feller buncher travelled over an open deep pit left by excavators during road construction. It was not marked to indicate the hazard.
Preventive Measures
Road construction crews must fill in pits after construction to eliminate this hazard. Where this is not possible, the hazard should be clearly identified and marked.