Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125966085 - Columbia Steel, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: San Bernardino District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:30 p.m. on December 18, 2000, Employee #1 was transporting "I" beams from a trailer to the ground in the yard by using a forklift. Just before the accident, Employee #1 was carrying two "I" beams (36-ft-long by 16-in.-wide with 5-in.-wide flanges) on a fork-lift and had the forks tilted up. Employee #1 drove approximately 20 ft before he stopped. Employee #1 set the parking brakes and got out of the forklift. The "I" beams were stacked on the tilted forks widthwise. Employee #1 was setting up the dunnage (pieces of 4-in. by 4-in.wood) to set the beams on them. A gust of wind blew the "I" beams from the forks and both "I" beams fell on Employee #1's left leg and crushed his left foot causing multiple fractures. Employee #1 was hospitalized for five days.

Keywords: FRACTURE, STEEL BEAM, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, FOOT, LEG