Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. OSHA citation items will be posted 30 (thirty) days after the employer receives the citation(s), except in cases of significant public interest. Posted citation items reflect any amendments to citations that are the result of a prompt settlement, which OSHA encourages. Employers and employee representatives will continue to receive copies of the citation(s) upon issuance.

Inspection: 1554014.015 - Randstad North America, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At 5:30 a.m. on September 3, 2021, an employee was working as a laborer for a site that receives transfer orders of frozen and refrigerated lamb for distribution. The employee worked for a staffing agency and was assigned to the facility along with other temporary employees. Coworker #1 was the employee's supervisor at the time and was the warehouse/inventory manager. The employee began his shift at 4:00 a.m. The employee was operating a Hyster Electric Pallet Jack (EPJ) travelling into a freezer fulfilling orders. The employee wore cold weather gear that included regular (non-safety) work boots. The employee reported working on his fifth order for the day. He said that the freezer the floors were slick and icy after the freezer doors were opened in the morning. The employee reported that as he turned left he slid. He pressed the emergency stop button on the EPJ but it did not stop. The employee caught his right foot between the bottom of the back rail guard of the freezer storage racks and the EPJ. The employee said he told the employer about the malfunctioning EPJ and Coworker #2 serviced the vehicle. Service records showed it was serviced on August 23, 2021, and on September 7, 2021, a sticky throttle was repaired. The staffing agency maintains that the throttle was damaged because of the incident. Coworker #2, another EPJ driver, said he was not aware of any issues with the throttle. Coworker #4, the employer representative, said that they did not see evidence of ice on the floor after the incident. The employer stated on the accident report that the incident was attributed to the employee speeding and being distracted because of wearing ear buds, which were not allowed. The employee said he only wore the earbuds in the office, not while driving. The employee was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted to treat fractured and dislocated toes.

Keywords: Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Broken, Broken Bone, Caught Between, Crushed, Dislocated, Distracted, Distracted driving, Distribution Center, Food Handling, Foot, Fracture, Freezer, Freezer Compartment, Industrial Truck, Laborer, Material Handling, PIV, Pallet Jack, Pinned, Powered Industrial Vehicle, Safety Shoe, Slip, Slippery Surface, Speeding, Staffing Agency, Storage Rack, Struck Against, Temperature, Temporary, Temporary Employment Agency, Temporary Worker, Toe