Glenn Chapman
Deceased
Glenn Chapman
Demographics
19y, male
Date of death
1998-10-12
Finding date
2003-11-21
Cause of death
Blunt head injury from being run over by recycling truck
AI-generated summary
Glenn Chapman, 19, died on 12 October 1998 when run over by a reversing compactor truck while working as a recycling collector. While the truck reversed, Chapman attempted to jump between rear steps to help his coworker, but slipped on wet, slippery steps and fell under the wheels, sustaining fatal blunt head injuries. Cannabis detected in toxicology showed no acute impairment. The coroner found this death preventable, identifying critical systems failures: the work practice of having runners ride on moving trucks is inherently dangerous, training was minimal, supervision inadequate, and no clear procedures prohibited riding while reversing. Poor footwear and two-step design contributed. A 'job to finish' work culture encouraged faster, less safe working. The coroner recommended eliminating outside riding, using engineering controls, establishing council responsibility for safety, improving road design to avoid reversing, and developing training programs for young workers.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Drugs involved
Contributing factors
- Inherently dangerous work system of riding on back of moving truck
- Inadequate training - minimal on-the-job induction only
- Inadequate supervision of young worker
- Slippery steps due to wet conditions (drizzling)
- Worn footwear with poor grip (Nike runners instead of issued boots)
- Two single steps design instead of full-length platform
- No clear procedures preventing riding while reversing
- Possible influence of cannabis (though toxicology inconclusive)
- Work-to-finish culture encouraging faster work pace
Coroner's recommendations
- Riding on the outside of vehicles should be eliminated from recycling and garbage industry as a matter of urgency, with consideration of alternative engineering and design solutions providing full protection to workers
- Proximity warning devices should be considered to warn drivers when pedestrians approach moving vehicles
- The work-to-finish rule should be reviewed by a committee of WorkCover, employer and union representatives to minimize deleterious effects on safety
- All Councils and Shires should be made aware of this case and their role in the chain of responsibility for occupational and public safety
- VicRoads should examine developing road design standards for courts and cul-de-sacs to provide adequate turning circles for large service vehicles, avoiding the need to reverse
- WorkSafe should develop programs for young workers, including consideration of a Code of Practice for safe employment of young workers
Full text
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Source and disclaimer
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