Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112125299 - Hopper, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:40 p.m. on February 8, 1991, Employee #1 and a coworker were unloading bundles of 1/2 in. flat steel and angles from a gondola rail car in a yard in Bakersfield, CA. Off-loading of steel from rail cars was normally done in the steel storage area using overhead bridge cranes. On this day, the cargo was being unloaded using steel chain slings attached to the forks of a 25,000 lb-capacity rough terrain forklift with high lift capability. Employee #1 and the coworker were unloading the third gondola car when the coworker, the forklift operator, started to lift two or three attached bundles. Employee #1 noticed that a 4 in. by 4 in. by 5 ft long shipping block had become caught in the load. Employee #1 later stated that he yelled at the coworker to stop. He then left his safe location south of the load and walked between the inside wall of the rail car and the load to remove the shipping block so the load could be safely lifted out of the rail car without breaking the metal bands holding the bundle together. When the shipping block was removed, the load swung toward Employee #1. The coworker later stated that he yelled at Employee #1 to get out of the area, but it was too late and Employee #1 was struck by the swinging load. The coworker immediately dismounted the forklift to find Employee #1, who was in the south end of the rail car. He suffered five fractures to his left arm and wrist ,and was hospitalized until the evening of February 9, 1991.

Keywords: FRACTURE, LOAD SHIFT, OFF LOADING, STRUCK BY, ARM, COMMUNICATION, WRIST