Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100200740 - Interport Maintenance Company Incorporated

Inspection Information - Office: Parsippany Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:20 p.m. on Monday, January 4, 1988, Employee #1 was replacing two 4 ft by 5 ft sections of wood flooring in a 20 ft open-top container. He had burned off the heads of approximately 48 screws that held the decking to the frame. He then signaled his foreman, the forklift operator, who placed the 22,000 lb capacity forks under the container and elevated it approximately 3 1/2 feet. Employee #1 then placed a 17 3/4 in. long by 2 1/2 in. diameter steel pipe between the container and the ground. The operator lowered the approximately 5,070 lb container onto the pipe, dislodging the flooring on the backside. The operator then lifted the load to 3 1/2 feet again. He waited and, not seeing anyone, thought Employee #1 must be behind the container. He lowered the container onto the back of Employee #1, who was at the front operator side of the load. Employee #1 was crushed and killed. His death was attributed to multiple fractures, internal injuries, and hemorrhaging caused by compression of his chest and abdomen. Employee #1 had worked as a mechanic repairing ship cargo containers for approximately 8 years.

Keywords: CHEST, FRACTURE, ABDOMEN, HEMORRHAGE, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, MECHANIC, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, COMMUNICATION