Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119761682 - Joe Costa Trucking

Inspection Information - Office: Redding District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 had been employed as a truck driver for a lumber and chip hauling trucking company for about three years. He was driving truck #39 and trailer #273. He loaded the trailer with shavings at the Pacific Lumber Company's mill A yard in Scotia, then climbed the ladder at the back of the trailer and walked the load to the front of the trailer. He put his left foot on the front top frame of the trailer and was starting to pull the tarp when his left foot slipped. He fell forward onto the fairing on the front of the trailer and slid head first over the front of the fairing. He hit the truck, and landed on the truck deck on his neck and shoulder, and then rolled onto the ground in a sitting position. On the way down, his right forearm caught on the pogo stick, which protrudes from the back of the truck cab and is used to hold air lines. The stick tore his skin and severed a muscle and nerves. There was no fall protection. The employer was issued a serious accident related violation of section T8CCR 3310(a) for not providing guardrails. It was also pointed out to the employer that exception #12 of this section allows for the use of approved safety belts and lanyards instead of guardrails. The employer was also cited for two other serious fall protection-related citations that were not accident-related.

Keywords: LOADING, WORK RULES, SLIP, TRUCK, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, SKIN, ARM, TRAILER