Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1459192.015 - Deere & Company

Inspection Information - Office: Madison Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 9:45 a.m. on January 23, 2020, an employee was operating a Hyster Model N35ZR2 Reach Powered Industrial Truck (PIT) placing crates of lawn equipment assembly parts in a pallet rack. The employee placed a crate of materials on the top row of the rack approximately 25 feet from the ground. After placing the materials on the rack, the employee drove forward leaving the pallet rack aisle and turned right into the material flow aisle located perpendicular to the pallet rack aisle. The employee had not lowered the PIT mast while exiting the rack aisle and after turning into the material flow aisle the top of the mast collided with a suspended unit heater located at the receiving dock doors. The collision with the unit heater caused the PIT to tip over backwards. The employee's left foot became caught between the overhead guard of the reach truck and the concrete floor. The employee fractured his left foot and ankle and was hospitalized, requiring surgical amputation of his foot.

Keywords: Agriculture Machinery/Vehicle, Aisle, Amputated, Amputation, Ankle, Crushed, Farm, Farm Machinery, Foot, Fracture, Industrial Truck, Mast, Material Handling, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Motor Vehicle, Pinched, Pinned, Powered Industrial Vehicle, Roll-Over, Storage Rack, Tips Over, Unstable Position, Warehouse Aisle