Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1442821.015 - Dart Container Corporation Of California

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At 10:20 a.m. on October 15, 2019, an employee was working for a company that made plastic and foam cups, containers, and utensils. He worked in a warehouse. He and a coworker were working together to replace a gas spring or the gas springs on a Pitbull SL60 Safety-Loc hydraulic dock arm. This device was a vehicle restraint. It engaged the rear impact guard of a vehicle and held the vehicle in place during the loading and unloading process. The employee was kneeling next to the hydraulic dock arm. The coworker did not correctly place a 2-in. by 4-in. (38 mm by 89 mm) piece of wood intended to block the dock arm in its 'up' position. The coworker was prying up the dock arm when it slipped, knocked loose the incorrectly placed piece of wood, and fell onto the employee's left hand. The employee's left index finger was partially amputated. He was treated without hospitalization. DOSH learned of the accident at 5:38 pm that same day from the employer's environment, health, and safety (EHS) manager. DOSH arrived on the scene at 10:09 a.m. on October 31. There were no other witnesses. The immediate supervisor was not onsite. The workers had not followed the manufacturer's recommendations on how to conduct maintenance on the Pitbull SL60 Safety-Loc. They said how to correctly position the 2-in. by 4-in. (38 mm by 89 mm) piece of wood to support the main arm assembly. In addition, the employees did not replace the gas springs one at a time, also according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Keywords: Air Spring, Amputated, Amputation, Caught By, Dock, Falling Object, Finger, I2P2, Instantaneous amputation, Lack of Work Procedures, Loading Dock, Lockout, Lockout/Tagout, Lumber, Maintenance, Partial Amputation, Spring, Struck By, Support Posts, Training, Traumatic Amputation, Unstable Position, Warehouse, Work Rules