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Fatality on the Battery

Employee #1, a larry-car operator on top of a coke oven, regularly cleared coal that became stuck in the distribution hoppers above the larry-car. This involved climbing up on top of the larry-car volumetric and “rodding” the upper bin chutes with a long pole until the coal would free. On the day of the accident, the employee was leaning over the lower volumetric, rodding the upper chute when the larry-car moved out of position. Employee #1 was crushed between the lip of the volumetric and the bin chute of the next bin. Employee #1 died as a result of multiple crushing injuries. Failure to lockout the larry-car and immobilize it with wheel chocks were the causal factors directly relating to the event.

https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=101129468
Coal bin gates in Acme coal bunker scales area

Below are a variety of appeals filed by the widow of the deceased, in an attempt to sue Wilputte (the designer of the larry car in use at Acme).

The Times (Muster IN) 2/2/89
Chicago Tribune 2/2/89
The Times (Munster IN) 4/28/90
It was indeed a windy day
This sign was no doubt made in response to the accident.

6 replies on “Fatality on the Battery”

Brutus was my father. I was three months old when this happened.
Tracy Herriott I was suprise to see that people’s haven’t forgot all those year I am Brutus wife.

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