Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126718485 - Sibs Logging Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Medford

Investigation Summary

On June 19, 1996, Employee #1, of Sib's Logging, was working as a chaser on a large landing toward which two Cat tractors were approaching from different directions. A Prentice 600 truck-mounted loader was set up near the center of the landing, with two chasers working the upward turns. At 7:30 a.m., a turn of logs was landed and Employee #1 bucked the logs to length. He then went to the other end of the machine to help the other chaser. This was the last time he was seen by the loader operator. At some point, Employee #1 went back to the left front corner of the loader and knelt down to file his chain saw. The loader operator swung to his left--his blind side--and picked a log out of the chute. When he flipped it to the left to get a better hold, and the log struck Employee #1, whose back was to the chute. He sustained spinal fractures that resulted in paralysis from the waist down. The operator stated that he never saw Employee #1 there until he swung past to pick up the log.

Keywords: PARALYSIS, YARDING, LOG, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, BACK, STRUCK BY, LOGGING, COMMUNICATION, INATTENTION