Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1526607.015 - Americold Logistics, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Birmingham Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 2:30 a.m. on April 12, 2021, an employee working as an equipment operator for a refrigerated warehousing and storage facility was operating a stand-up powered industrial vehicle (PIV). The employee exited the drive-in freezer with the PIV forks trailing. He was not looking in the direction of travel at which time a coworker, also a stand-up PIV operator, was standing nearby in the cab of his vehicle. The coworker was parked in the middle of the aisle trying to restart his PIV after it faulted out for operator error and shutdown. The employee rolled into the forks of the coworker's parked vehicle. The employee was hospitalized to treat leg injuries, including a fracture and a laceration to the back of his thigh which required surgery.

Keywords: Collision, Distracted driving, Driving, Equipment Operator, Forklift, Forks, Fracture, Freezer, Freezer Compartment, Industrial Truck, Laceration, Leg, Material Handling, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Motor Vehicle, PIV, Powered Industrial Vehicle, Rolled, Stand-Up Forklift, Storage unit, Struck Against, Struck By, Unsafe Position, Warehouse, Warehouse Aisle