Inspection Detail

Inspection: 900906.015 - New England Motor Freight, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Cincinnati Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 10:00 a.m. on April 3, 2013, Employee #1, a CDL truck driver, delivered construction material to a construction companys home office. The employee assisted the companys bobcat operator with off-loading of that material by directing the bobcat fork under the load. The bobcat operator performed a lift test while the load was still on the bed of the truck. After the lift test was done, the Bobcat operator lifted the load, and tilted the load back to rest against the fork mast. The Bobcat operator traveled backwards with the load suspended. After the load cleared the bed of the truck, Employee #1 told the operator that he was clear. The operator immediately started lowering the load. Simultaneously, as the load was being lowered to the ground, Employee #1 reached up and grabbed the strap attached the trailer door, lowered door, and then jumped off the truck. At that time, the over load weight of the unsecured shrink wrap portion of the load caused the bobcat to tip forward, catching Employee #1 between the trailer bed edge and the load. Employee #1 sustained blunt force trauma to his abdomen, head and multiple chest areas, killing him.

Keywords: Abdomen, Chest, Crushed, Head, Material Handling, Powered Industrial Vehicle, Roll-Over, Struck By, Trailer Truck, Truck Driver, Unsecured, Unstable Load