Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101445955 - H & B Millimg Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Boston South Area Office

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXMATELY 1515 HOURS ON APRIL 29, 1987, EMPLOYEE #1, A MILLWORKER WITH 3 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WAS RIDING ON THE RIGHT HAND STEP OF A HYSTER FORKLIFT, MODEL NUMBER 1-1 100-E, ACTING AS A BACKING GUIDE. THE FORKLIFT OPERATOR, DUE TO POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY, WAS FORCED TO BACK A LOAD OF LUMBER TOWARD THE MILL BUILDING. AS THE OPERATOR TURNED A CORNER, BOTH HIS AND THE BACKING GUIDE'S ATTENTION WAS DISTRACTED BY A PIECE OF LUMBER WHICH HAD SLIPPED OFF THE LOAD AND ENTERED THE CAB AREA. THE OPERATOR REACHED UP AND PUSHED THE PIECE BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. WHEN THE OPERATOR TURNED AROUND TO CHECK HIS POSITION, THE FORKLIFT MADE CONTACT WITH A PARKED TRAILER, PINNING EMPLOYEE #1 BETWEEN THE FORWARD RIGHT-HAND VERTICAL FRAME MEMBER OF THE OVERHEAD CAGE ASSEMBLY AND THE TRAILER. EMPLOYEE #1 SUFFERED MASSIVE INTERNAL INJURIES AND DIED APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS LATER. IT WAS COMMON PRACTICE WITHIN THE YARD TO UTILIZE A BACKING GUIDE DURING FORKLIFT OPERATIONS.

Keywords: WORK RULES, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, TRAILER, BACKING UP, INATTENTION