Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123305153 - Genco Distribution System

Inspection Information - Office: Bridgeport Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:30 p.m., Employee #1 and two coworkers, all forklift operators, were performing their regular duties moving and placing pallets. Employee #1 was driving his Yale lift in a westerly direction down an aisle when he noticed coworker #1, whose vehicle was parked in an east-west direction, preparing to pull out. Employee #1 swerved in a southerly direction to avoid a collision. According to the two coworkers, Employee #1 lost control of his vehicle and suddenly turned back to a westerly direction, where he ran into a Toyota forklift being operated by the coworker #2. The force of the impact caused the left fork of the coworker's vehicle to impale Employee #1's right thigh. The section leader, who was walking nearby, heard a loud bang and saw the coworkers #2's forklift moving backward. In an attempt to break free, Employee #1 drove forward in an easterly direction, but only succeeded in moving the coworker's lift sideways slightly. Coworker #2 dismounted to assist Employee #1 while coworker #1 ran to the truck office to get help; he was then requested to leave the building because he was not a first responder. When it became clear the Employee #1 was not stuck by the location of the forks but was impaled by them, coworker #2 held him in an upright position while the section leader drove his lift forward to get him out of the operator's compartment. Once outside the cab, the section leader lowered the forks of the Toyota lift so that Employee #1 could lay on the floor. Coworker #2 was then asked to leave the building. Employee #1 died as a result of his injuries.

Keywords: IND TRK OPERATOR, IMPALED, STRUCK AGAINST, DRIVER, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, MECH MAT HANDLING, LOST CONTROL, INATTENTION, LEG