Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112166095 - City Of Los Angeles, Dept. Of Water & Power

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:30 p.m. on March 27, 1991, Employee #1 and a coworker, of the Los Angeles City Department of Water and Power, were using a forklift to move lengths of steel rod and flatbar from one area of a salvage yard to another. The steel was banded with wire and rested on 4 in. square wooden ground blocks; it was to be placed on similar blocks at the new yard location. The steel bundles could not be off-loaded at the new site because the partially installed ground blocks were spaced the same distance as the fork blades. The coworker, who was operating the forklift, began to close the loaded, hydraulically-operated blades so they would fit between the blocks. As he did so, Employee #1 was standing in front of and to the right of the forklift. Neither man knew that a piece of 1 in. diameter steel rod had slipped loose and become wedged between the closing fork blades. The rod was bent by the closing forks, sprang free, and struck Employee #1, fracturing both his legs above the ankles.

Keywords: FRACTURE, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, FLYING OBJECT, LEG