Abstract: Employee #1, of Sam's Club/Wal-mart in South Gate, CA, was using a Crown electric stand-up forklift to remove pallets from a large freezer. As he exited the freezer, he found he could not reverse direction to control the forklift. He attempted to engage the mechanical brake by removing his foot from the deadman, but the brakes failed to engage. Just before colliding with a bumper post next to the wall, Employee #1 either tried to jump out of the vehicle, or his foot slipped and was crushed between the forklift and the bumper post. He sustained multiple fractures in his left foot, and was hospitalized for surgery. His left big toe had to be surgically amputated at a later date.