Inspection Detail

Inspection: 108503251 - Big O Tire (Master Tire Inc.)

Inspection Information - Office: State Of New Mexico Environment Department Occupational Health & Safety Bureau

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on October 12, 1990, Employee #1 and two coworkers were changing shock absorbers on a pickup truck. They were using a hydraulic hoist to lift the pickup and gain access to the shock absorbers. The shock absorber being worked on was located under the vehicle, behind the front left tire. Employee #1 was in a rectangular pit, 1 ft 4 in. deep under the pickup. The hoist pads were in the lowered position, which left a 12 to 16 in. space between the pads and the pickup. This is the danger zone of the hydraulic hoist. When the hoist is activated, the vehicle contact pads rise and could crush anything against the vehicle frame. A coworker was on the back bumper of the pickup. Another coworker was at the control lever of the hydraulic hoist, about 26 ft away at the other side of the pickup. The employees could not see each other. One coworker gave verbal confirmation to the other that Employee #1 was clear of the danger zone. That coworker engaged the hoist pads to lift the pickup. In fact, Employee #1 was not clear of the danger zone. He was killed, suffering craniocerebral injuries, when the moving hoist pads crushed his head against the pickup frame. The employees should have relied on visual rather than verbal confirmation of employee clearance in the danger zone.

Keywords: HEAD, HYDRAULIC LIFT, HOISTING MECHANISM, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, STRUCK AGAINST, CRUSHED, PICKUP TRUCK, COMMUNICATION, INATTENTION