Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125731992 - Compass Equipment, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Redding District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:50 a.m. on April 5, 2000, Employee #1, a welder for Compass Equipment, Inc., was directing a coworker who was operating a large forklift. The forklift was moving a 10 ft tall by 8 ft wide by 14 ft long steel hopper into the assembly area. The hopper had an inward-sloping bottom and was sitting on the 7 ft 8 in. long forks. To stabilize the load, 2 by 4s were placed on top of the forks for the sloped edges of the hopper to rest on and cut in to. The coworker had placed the boards and slid the forks under the hopper when he asked Employee #1 to check the position of the boards. Employee #1 saw that one of the boards was not properly placed and put his hand up to signal the driver. He then went to the back of the hopper, where he reached down to pull the board further out. The coworker, thinking that Employee #1 wanted him to raise the forks, began to do so. He had only moved them between 1 and 2 in. when he heard a yell from the back of the hopper and immediately lowered the forks. The 1/4 in. thick sheet metal of the hopper had amputated Employee #1's right index finger. He was transported to Petaluma Hospital , where doctors tried unsuccessfully to reattach his finger.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, IND TRK OPERATOR, SHEAR, FINGER, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BETWEEN, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, MECH MAT HANDLING, COMMUNICATION