Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126184035 - Labor Ready Southwest, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

An 4:15 p.m. on April 23, 2001, an accident occurred in Building Number 10 at the Western Studio Service worksite. A group of six temporary laborers, including Employee #1, had been working all day moving props of various sizes and shapes from different warehouses into other warehouses. Prior to the accident, the Warehouse Foreman told the laborers to start bringing props from one of the warehouses into Building Number 10. The laborers were using A-frames with wheels to move the large pieces of scenery and props, which were tied to the A-frames. At least two or three employees would move the props together. Just prior to the accident, the foreman brought a fork lift into Building Number 10 to use to lift the props up onto the floor level of the warehouse from the dock area where they were brought in. After loading pieces for most of the afternoon, Employee #1 indicates that he and one other laborer were assisting the foreman in loading the last piece, which was a "door prop", measuring approximately 12-feet high and 12-feet wide, and made of wood. Employee #1 and the other laborer moved the piece over to position it and center it for the foreman to lift it with the fork lift. The foreman drove the fork lift into position under the A-frame, and told Employee #1 to stand on the forks to steady the load. The load was not secured to the fork lift. Employee #1 climbed onto the forks and straddled the forks facing the piece, while the foreman raised the load slowly. As the load approached within about two feet of the warehouse floor level, the piece began to fall forward. Employee #1 jumped off the forks, up to the floor level and ran forward. As he ran away from the falling prop, it hit him in the back, knocked him down and part of the prop caught his left foot. Employee #1 was pulled out from under the prop by the warehouse foreman and the other laborer. He immediately felt severe pain in his left foot and saw that his foot was "humped up". Employee #1 was wearing tennis shoes. He was yelling in pain and asking someone to call "Emergency Services". After a while the other employee took off Employee #1's tennis shoe and said his foot is broken. The foreman was on the radio, calling someone and told him that help was on the way. After a few minutes another temporary laborer came in the building, and the foreman and a coworker carried Employee #1 to a van and he was taken to the "Labor Ready" office, per the instructions of the foreman. Upon arriving at the Labor Ready office, a lady from the office came out and saw the extent of Employee #1's injury and she indicated "I hope you don't go into shock". Then she got in the van and they drove Employee #1 to St. Joseph's Hospital, and stopped for gas before arriving there. Employee #1 was hospitalized for four days and required surgery on his left foot to have three pins inserted and a cast put on his foot.

Keywords: FRACTURE, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, DOOR, ANKLE, FOOT