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Tid Sao Story
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Tid Sao was crushed by a car at the service
station and left his family forever on 10 October
2003.
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Detail of Incident Day, Date 10 Oct 2003 Time
16.45 Hr. Location Phouvao-Retail
Station (DODO), Luang Phrabang, Laos Incident
Description The accident occurred on Friday,
October 10, 2003 at about 16.45Hr. while a
carwash worker driving a customer Mitsubishi
4W-Automatic V6 onto a wash ramp and another
worker (Tid Sao) was guiding the driver into a
correct position. When the car stopped at the
correct position, the driver parked the car and
while he was shifting the gear lever, the car
suddenly moved forward over wash ramp stoppers
and crushed Tid Sao against a concrete wall
behind him. The driver tried to reverse the
vehicle but did not succeed. It took about 10
minutes to release the victim between the wall
and the car. At that particular time, he was
already dead.
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• Contributions to this accident
• Driver had no license, he was not properly
  trained to drive the automatic transmission.
• The car idle speed was at 1400 rpm., this high
  rpm caused the car to heavily creep when the
  brake pedal was released or not firmly pressed.
• When the car crept, driver might try to apply
  brakes but he pressed the wrong pedal. (This is
  the conjecture since we did not get enough
  information from driver.)
• The stoppers design was not adequate to stop 4
  wheels drive vehicles or other vehicles larger
  than passenger cars.
• There was no proper procedure and training for
  the car wash business.

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Some Pictures of the Accident
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• Main learning points from this incident
• Working staff must not position themselves in
  front or behind a moving vehicle while guiding
  the driver to mobilise the vehicle.
• Only staff with valid driving license can
  mobilise vehicles within Shell site.
• Operational procedures must be available at site
  and strictly followed by Retail operators for all
  business activities.
• The need for Retail operators to take up
  liability insurance to cover operational damages
  and losses.

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Personal Detail
Name Tid Sao (Male) Age 27
years Address Luang Phrabang, Laos Civil
Status Married with 2 children Occupation
Car wash worker Injury Sustained Crushed at the
chest by 4 wheel vehicle- Fatal
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His Family
Parent in law

2 daughters
6 relatives - Wifes sisters and their children

1- Tid Saos brother
4 years
5 months
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Their Home
Tid Sao and 12 family members live in this
makeshift house, with very limited facilities.
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Family Detail

• Tid Sao was the family breadwinner.
• He supported the whole family of 13 people.
• His income was from the service station and
  teaching students in the evening.
• The total income was about USD 100 per month.
• He was a good husband and dedicated to his
  family.
• They live happily with high hope for a better
  future.

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Their hope and future had gone.
However, they have to survive.
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• The wife starts processing and selling the crispy
  pork skin at the market. (She did not want to
  work at the station or Shell office)
• She makes about USD 1 per day.
• Her father makes about USD 2 per day from shoes
  repairing.
• They cant make regular income.
• They have to work hard to survive without
  promising future.