Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119616233 - Berkeley Farms, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: San Francisco District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, a foreman for Berkeley Farms, Inc., for more than 30 years, was pushing a hand truck loaded with 300 to 400 lb of crushed or compact cardboard boxes from a compactor to a warehouse when the wheel of the hand truck hit a crack in the concrete driveway. The hand truck and the load jolted forward, then backward, causing the handle to strike Employee #1 in the stomach, which caused a side-tear in the spleen. He continued to work that day and the next day, a Saturday. On Sunday morning, Employee #1 had difficulty breathing. He called his supervisor and got permission to go to the hospital. He went to his personal physician, who sent him to Presbyterian Hospital in San Francisco. Employee #1 was released from the hospital on January 4, 1995. On January 20, 1995, he underwent a splenectomy at Mt. Zion Hospital and was released on January 23, 1995. When Employee #1 was interviewed on February 7, 1995, he was still suffering great pain. The investigation was completed on February 14, 1995. It has been determined that Employee #1's injury was caused by the violation of a safety order as set forth in Title 8 of California code of regulations, section T8CCR 3328(a) of general industry safety orders. Equipment was used under conditions and with loads which endanger the employee. The employer was cited accordingly.

Keywords: SPLEEN, UNEVEN GROUND, WORK RULES, OVERLOADED, WALKING SURFACE, STRUCK BY, LOST CONTROL, STOMACH