Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125947192 - Fashion Craft Floors Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On April 24, 2004, Employee #1 was unloading carpet rolls from a 40-foot trailer container when he was struck by a projectile-like flying hook when it became dislodged from a roll of carpet it was pulling, using a Caterpillar forklift truck Model Number T50D. He was partially decapitated and killed. The employer is a flooring and floor-covering sub-contractor, engaging in the installation of carpeting, wood, vinyl and tile flooring in tract/new residential homes. About six months before the employer had devised a way of pulling carpets out of the truck bed trailer compartment. He took two ropes and attached them along both sides of the forklift like a sling shot design. Then he got a hook and custom made another hook and attached them to the ends of these ropes. Each hook was connected to a carpet roll and this allowed the forklift operator to pull the carpet out of the truck by driving reversed mode/direction. The employer assigned Employee #1 and a coworker to do the job pulling carpet rolls for about six months prior to Employee #1 being killed. On April 24, 2004, Employee #1 and the coworker were assigned to pull the carpet rolls. There were three layers of carpet rolls that needed unloading. A typical carpet roll weighs approximately 700 lbs, is 12 feet in length, with a diameter of 2 feet. Employee #1 and the coworker decided against using a forklift carpet pole attachment and instead opted to work with two hooks attached to their respective ropes for purposes of pulling the carpet rolls from the container. The coworker attached each of the rope slings parallel to each other at the side end of the forklift mast. He then attached each hook to the far end of two different carpet rolls, positioned longitudinally within the container. Employee #1 then placed the forklift into reverse gear and started to pull the two carpet rolls from the container while his coworker remained in the container, marking the remaining carpet rolls in the container. Towards the end of the unloading process, one of the carpet rolls was snagged. Employee #1 continued to pull with the forklift. The hook attached to the snagged roll detached from the roll and, acting as a projectile, struck Employee #1 on the left side of his neck, striking his jugular vein. His coworker discovered Employee #1 unconscious and bleeding when he approached the forklift truck in preparation for the next carpet rolls to be unloaded. The coworker proceeded to the on-site warehouse to notify his employer of the accident. Paramedics were called immediately, and Employee #1 was transported to the hospital. Employee #1 was pronounced dead at the hospital. He had sustained a severed spinal cord and was partially decapitated. The accident was caused by several factors, as follows: 1. The employees did not have a clear communication and coordination concerning how this job would be performed safely. 2. The hazards that they might encounter on the job and safe work practices were not understood. 3. The custom-made hook was not of adequate design and was operated under the condition of speeds, stresses and loads. 4. There were so many carpet rolls outside the trailer compartment truck that caused the carpet being pulled to snag with another carpet, impeding the operation.

Keywords: IND TRK OPERATOR, ROPE, SPINE, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, FLYING OBJECT, DECAPITATED, UNSTABLE LOAD