A traffic flagger who was working on North Vancouver's Low Level Road Wednesday morning is in hospital recovering from injuries after a pavement roller suddenly starting going in reverse, ran over her foot and pinned her against another vehicle.
The workplace accident happened around 8:45 a.m. as two flaggers were setting up traffic control cones. Suddenly and without warning the pavement roller "accidentally started going in reverse," said Cpl. Richard De Jong, spokesman for the North Vancouver RC MP detachment.
The heavy piece of equipment - used to flatten asphalt in road work - rolled over the woman's foot and "she was somewhat crushed between the roller and the vehicle behind it," said De Jong.
The woman was taken to hospital with broken bones in her foot and other injuries. She is expected to recover. "Obviously she's very fortunate," said De Jong. The second flagger managed to jump out of the way in time to avoid the roller.
WorkSafeBC has launched an investigation into the accident.
So far it isn't clear whether the sudden reverse by the pavement roller was due to an operator error, a mechanical problem or some other cause.
