Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1245490.015 - Strek-O Doors, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Appleton Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:35 a.m. on June 26, 2017, an employee was helping to load a second door onto a forklift to apply finishing with water base stains. The door weighed approximately 700lbs. to 1,000 lbs. The loading of the first door had gone smoothly. Both doors measured 3 feet wide by 7 foot long. It took a total of about 8 people to help with the door. There were 3 people working on moving the door until it got to the flipper table, where another 4 to 5 people were waiting for the door to be flipped over. Coworker #1, finisher, was driving the forklift. Coworker #1 had picked up the door with the forklift with a homemade hook attachment that slid unto the forks of the forklift and straps that were being wrapped around the ends of the door. There were two workers holding the door at each end since the door was wobbly. Coworker #1 picked up the door by the first spray booth then moved it along to the second spray booth with two workers holding the door. Once they got to a machine, the door had to be lifted above the machine to take it to the flipper table where 5 other employees were waiting for the door to flip it. Coworker #1 lifted the door higher with the forklift to make it past the machine and told Coworker #2, Forklift Operator/Saw Operator, and the employee to get away from the door. Coworker #2 moved away and the employee stayed with the door. The door swung to the left, from Coworker #2 having let go, the door dropped and readjusted on the strap, hit the machine, then it swung and hit the employee, who was on the right hand side. The door hit the employee's legs and pinned him to the ground. According to Coworker #1, the employee had a couple of scrapes on the right shoulder. The door might have hit him on the shoulder before having hit his legs and the employee might have tried to dodge it. Immediately, after the incident happened, there were 5 people who grabbed the door to pick it up and move it away from the employee and the employee was slid out from underneath the door. Coworker #1 called Coworker #3, the supervisor, who called Coworker #4, the Owner/President. Then Coworker #3 went on to call an ambulance. The employee was sat up by the table and waited 10-15 minutes for the ambulance to arrive. Coworker #1 picked up the door with the forklift since it was already damaged and moved it to a core. The employee suffered from a broken knee and femur was taken to the hospital, where he was hospitalized and treated.

Keywords: Falling Object, Material Handling, Powered Industrial Vehicle, Rigging, Struck By