Inspection Detail

Inspection: 109306316 - Philpot Contracting Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Atlanta West Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 and two coworkers were loading reels of telecommunication cable onto a tractor trailer truck. Each reel of cable weighed approximately 4,000 lb and had to be chocked because the storage area was on a incline. A forklift was used to transport the reels onto the truck. The coworkers were inside the truck bed guiding the reels in place and chocking them. Employee #1 was operating the forklift. Several reels of cable had been loaded. Employee #1 was getting another reel of cable. One of the coworkers walked to the end of the truck and noticed that the forklift was running but Employee #1 was not in the forklift. The coworker looked around the truck and saw Employees #1 lying on the ground with a reel of cable further away. Based on the position of the forks, it appears that Employee #1 raised the cable reel just above the chocks and the reel slipped off. The reel rolled down the incline toward cars and other equipment in the area. Knowing the weight of the cable reel, Employee #1 apparently panicked or misjudged the hazard and jumped off the forklift and ran after the reel in an attempt to stop it. Employee #1 was run over by the cable reel. He died in the hospital. No citation will be issued.

Keywords: LOADING, IND TRK OPERATOR, COMMUNICATION CABLE, UNSECURED, STRUCK BY, RUN OVER, SLOPE