The worker, 64-year-old Michael Ray Mathews, was using the compactor to flatten a pile of dirt when the pile collapsed, according to a report from WBAL TV. The machine rolled over and pinned Mathews beneath it.
The station reports that a co-worker used another piece of equipment to lift the compactor off of Mathews. He was rushed to the hospital but died later of his injuries.
Unfortunately, roller-compactor operators are at high risk of a rollover whenever a jobsite includes inclines or embankments. We’ve put together an article with operation tips to avoid such accidents which you can read here.
