Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1472587.015 - Cal Lowbed

Inspection Information - Office: Bakersfield District Office

Investigation Summary

At 3:17 p.m. on April 15, 2020, an employee was working as a truck driver for a firm that leased construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment. He was helping load his flatbed trailer with construction material from the facility's yard. The material was Z purlins for a pre-engineered metal frame building. The employee set the dunnage on the trailer and then helped guide his coworker, who was his superintendent on the job. The coworker worked for a different firm, a firm of contractors. He was operating a JLG model 1255 forklift. The coworker had finished loading one level with five bundles of Z purlins. They extended almost the length of the 14-meter (46-foot) trailer. Four pieces of dunnage were spread out about 3 meters (10 feet) apart over the first level of material so that additional bundles of Z purlins could be loaded. Five bundles of Z purlins stacked next to each other were loaded on the second level. At about 3:00 p.m., the coworker had placed a sixth bundle on the end of the second level. The bundle consisted of ten Z purlins about 9.8 meters (32 feet) long. When he set the bundle down, the rear was not even and was sticking out. The coworker pulled the forks out from the middle of the bundle and positioned the forklift to adjust the rear of the bundles inward. After the coworker had set this bundle down, but before he had adjusted and stabilized the material, the employee placed the dunnage on top of the second level. The dunnage consisted of pieces of wood 89 millimeters square (4 by 4s) about 2.4 meters (8 feet) long. They were stacked the width of the trailer, about 3 meters (10 feet) apart. The employee had placed two of them and was on the trailer about halfway along the side. He was walking along the edge, when the bundle fell, knocking him over, and landing on him on the dirt ground. The employee was transported to a hospital. He was pronounced dead at 4:41 p.m. that afternoon. He had suffered a fatal crushing injury to his torso.

Keywords: Crushed, Emergency Response, Fall, Falling Object, Flatbed Truck, Forklift, Mech Mat Handling, Struck By, Torso, Trailer, Truck Driver, Unstable Load