Inspection Detail

Inspection: 107139495 - Jack Gray Transport Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Indianapolis Area Office

Investigation Summary

Slab steel was being unloaded from several barges by two cranes and placed at two dockside landing areas, about 200 ft apart, at the north and south ends of the harbor. Three heavy-duty, 65,000 lb capacity forklifts would then, in turn, pick up a load of steel, alternating between the north and south landings, and drive to Employee #1, the checker, who was positioned on the east side of a safety island. The island is an oval-shaped, concrete barrier, which houses a fire hydrant and other equipment, and measures 30 ft long (in a north/south direction) by 7 ft wide by 4 ft 2 in. high. The center of the island sits directly west of the north landing. As the fork truck operators would come up to Employee #1, he would count the slabs, check measurements, and verify receipt of the loads by lot numbers as they appeared on the manifest. Employee #1 would then mark a number of the slabs to let the operator know where to place each slab in the yard. To line up the forks on the truck with load(s) at the north landing, directly behind the island, it was necessary for the forklift to swing around the south end of the island and then head north, between the west side of the island and the north landing. Returning from the yard to pick up another load, the operator of the Taylor forklift, model TE 650L, swung about 28 ft south of the island to clear the island and prepared to line up with the load at the north landing. The operator was making the curve around the island, preparing to head north, when he saw another ground employee flagging him to stop. He began slowing but felt a bump before he was able to come to a stop. Unknown to the operator, and for an undetermined reason, Employee #1 had moved from his stationary position behind the island to a location near the south end of the island. The ground employee stated that the forks, elevated to clear the ground while traveling, clipped Employee #1 in the leg, knocking him backward and between the forks. The witness stated the mast, forklift frame, and front tires cleared Employee #1's body, which was lying in a prone position, but the back passenger side steering tire ran over his chest/abdomen. The driver's seat in the lift is on the left side of the cab, which is totally enclosed. From the driver's seat, there is a relatively large blind spot at the right front corner of the lift created by the frame and the massive mast. Employee #1 was apparently positioned in the operator's blind spot when he was struck.

Keywords: CHEST, LONGSHORING, ABDOMEN, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, RUN OVER, LEG, TIRE