Abstract: At approximately 2:30 p.m. on May 6, 1997, Employee #1 was engaged as a spotter for a coworker who was operating a 3 ft 4 in. wide Clark electric reach truck through an aisle of industrial racking used to store ceramic floor tile and bags of mortar and grout. The aisle contained eight, 8 ft long by 16 ft tall by 4 ft wide bays of racks on either side, each bay storing material weighing between 21,000 and 26,000 lb. The approximately 10 ft wide aisle was partially blocked by three, 3 ft 6 in. square pallets of Jamo mortar and grout bags. These were located along the south side of the aisle but not flush against the racks, reducing the width of the travel lane. As the reach truck began to move eastward toward the back of the store, two customers located in front of the truck moved to the south side of the aisle between the pallets of Jamo. At the same time, a second coworker and a customer were situated behind the reach truck and pallets. Within seconds a rumble was heard as the shelving and its contents began to fall inward toward Employee #1 and the two customers near him. As the shelving collapsed, it struck the storage racks on the south side of the aisle and partially dislodged two of the bays there. The reach truck driver left his vehicle and ran from the falling racks. The customer who had been standing near the second coworker was struck by debris and sustained minor lacerations and bruises. The second coworker began screaming that Employee #1 and two other customers were beneath the rubble before he then suffered a series of fainting spells. Store employees helped rescue the two customers, who were surrounded by 4 to 5 ft of broken tile. Employee #1 was buried beneath the collapsed racking and broken tile for about 30 minutes before he could be freed. He was transported to the hospital, where he died approximately 16 days later as a result of multiple blunt force trauma. A report of damage to the racking--an approximately 1 in. by 3 in. bent portion located between 3 and 6 ft from the floor--had been reported to the assistant store manager about 30 minutes prior to the collapse. Failure to take immediate action to secure the damaged rack, and allowing continued operation of a reach truck immediately adjacent to the damaged rack because of the partially blocked aisleway, contributed to the compressive buckling failure of the industrial racking system.