UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on September 22, 2003, Employee #1 was operating a pallet jack, Serial Number A803N11280V. The employer was relocating a wooden pallet containing a load of paper rolls from one storage area to another inside a commercial printing warehouse. The rolls were stacked on top of each other with the top two rolls measuring 19 inches in diameter and weighing 700 pounds each. The bottom most roll was 33.5 inches in diameter and about weighed 4,000 pounds. Employee #1 placed the forks of the pallet jack underneath the wood pallet, containing the rolls of paper, and proceeded to lift the load. As he tried to lift the load, the top two rolls fell and landed on the forks, resulting in a jerky motion. Employee #1, who was standing on the jack platform at the rear of the jack, fell backwards due to the impact of the falling rolls, pushing the pallet-jack backwards. Employee #1 was hospitalized, where he was treated for head and internal injuries. A detailed investigation determined that the pallet jack involved in the accident was properly maintained and the brakes were functioning properly. Additionally, although Employee #1 had been operating pallet jacks, on and off for about three years, he was not formally trained.