Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1477620.015 - Lowe'S Home Centers, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

At 2:30 p.m. on May 19, 2020, an employee was working for a nationwide chain of big box stores that sold electrical supplies, plumbing supplies, appliances, lumber, and so forth. She was working at one of the firm's stores as a customer service representative. She and a coworker, also a customer service representative, were replenishing the store's inventory of peat moss. The coworker was operating a sit-down forklift. The coworker was using the forklift to retrieve a full pallet of peat moss from the top rack of some storage shelves. The pallet was approximately 16 feet (4.9 meters) up. The employee was sitting outside the barricaded zone of a warehouse aisle performing spotting duties for her coworker. The pile of the bags of peat moss was not stable. As the coworker removed the full pallet of peat moss, nearly half the bags fell off the pallet to the ground. The employee crossed over into the barricaded zone to help pick up the bags from off the ground. There were still some bags elevated 16 feet (4.9 meters) up. Two more bags of peat moss fell off the pallet, striking the employee in her shoulder and leg. She suffered fractures in her right ankle and foot. She was hospitalized. The employer reported the accident to the Division DOSH learned about the accident at approximately 4:44 a.m. on May 20, 2020. The employer reported the accident within the required timeframe. The Division arrived at employer's site at approximately 11:00 a.m. on June 5, 2020, to initiate an investigation. A contributing factor to the incident was the employee's entering the barricaded area of the working aisle. This was contrary to the training provided by the employer to the employee and the coworker. No accident-related citations were to be issued.

Keywords: Ankle, Barricade, Broken Bone, Falling Object, Foot, Forklift, Fracture, Ind Trk Operator, Industrial Truck, Inexperience, Leg, Pallet, Powered Industrial Vehicle, Shoulder, Storage Area, Storage Rack, Struck By, Training, Unstable Load, Warehouse, Warehouse Aisle, Work Rules