Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126194513 - Cal State Los Angeles

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on May 12, 2012, Employee #1 was working as a student employee for California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), in Los Angeles, CA. He was performing his normally assigned duties as a parking control assistant. The employer, CSULA, was an 80-acre state university with approximately 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. On May 11, 2012, his supervisor had contacted a truck driver via text to instruct him to move a nonfunctional electric utility cart. It was a Taylor Dunn Model RO-380-48 cart, with the employer's Serial Number 9:2009. It was in a corporate yard. The yard was being prepared for washing and repaving, and the cart was in the way. On May 12, 2012, the truck driver contacted Employee #1 and one of Employee #1's coworkers to help with moving the cart. The truck driver operated a Parking Services 2002 Ford Ranger pickup truck, with license plate number 955951. Its VIN was 1FYR14U12PA72332. Driving the truck, he was pushing Employee #1 and his coworker, who were both in the cart, to take it to a police yard parking area. Employee #1 was steering the utility cart, and his coworker was in the passenger seat. According to the truck driver, the vehicle was not pushed at a speed of more than 5 mph (8 kph). As the truck and the cart were traveling westbound on Circle Drive on a slight downgrade, the cart began to pick up speed. The truck driver reported that he was no longer pushing the cart, but following it. The front end of the cart began to shake violently from left to right, and it made a right turn on its own. Employee #1 stated that he was pushing the brake pedal, but that the cart would not stop. The right front tire of the cart hit a curb, and the cart turned over, with Employee #1 and his coworker inside. The cart landed on Employee #1's right leg. Emergency services were called. Employee #1 was hospitalized at Kaiser Hospital, where he was treated for a fractured right femur. The following citations were issued to the employer: General: 3203(a)(7) - Failing to train on a new job assignment. General: 3395(f)(1) - Failure to provide heat training for parking control employee. General: 3395(f)(3) - Heat Illness Prevention Program deficiencies. General: 3668(c) - Incomplete industrial truck training.

Keywords: FRACTURE, BRAKE, PICKUP TRUCK, LOST CONTROL, MECH MALFUNCTION, MOTOR VEHICLE, SLOPE, CART, LEG, OVERTURN