Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126108232 - Alain Hirsch Construction Corp.

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:50 a.m. on August 29, 2002, Employee #1, of Alain Hirsch Construction, was at a construction remodeling job site at the three-story, 10,000 sq ft Bulgari store in Beverly Hills, CA. He was helping two coworkers move a Jet Equipment and Tools pallet truck from the sidewalk up onto the main floor of the store. The lift truck was loaded with a 4,056.5 lb, 69.29 in. by 29.53 in. by 43.70 in. crate of 10 marble slabs. Employee #1 and one coworker were pushing the crate up and then down a makeshift plywood ramp, while the other coworker was pulling the handle. The weight of the truck caused the wooden ramp to tip up and catch the pallet truck's rear wheels. As Employee #1 and the coworkers pushed and pulled on the pallet truck to free it, the heavy crate became unstable, tipped over the fork of the pallet truck, and fell toward the two men who were pushing it. The coworker managed to get out of the way, but Employee #1's legs were crushed, and he became pinned against the wall of the store. He sustained a fractured right femur, two deep lacerations on his lower left leg, and a small laceration on his hand.

Keywords: FRACTURE, WORK RULES, CRUSHED, LACERATION, TRUCK, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, LEG, OVERTURN