Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1564497.015 - Tw Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:00 a.m. on November 12, 2021, an employee was working as a freight handler for a firm that warehoused and stored food products to be distributed to customers for another employer. The firm had 25 workers at the site. The employee was using a Robopac Robot S6 stretch wrapping machine to wrap pallets of food in the cold storage area of the warehouse. His shift had started at 4:30 p.m., and it was scheduled to end at 3:00 a.m. At approximately 2:55 a.m., he claimed that he suddenly felt a strike to his lower back and fell to the ground. At first it was thought that he had been struck in the back by a forklift. He claimed that he was unable to feel his entire body except for his hands and experienced pain in his head. The supervisory staff of the other employer at the site contacted emergency medical services (EMS), which dispatched a unit at approximately 3:00 a.m. The worker was transported to a medical center. He complained of reduced motor function and back pain, though there were no external signs of trauma. The Division was notified of the event by the rescue squad at approximately 9:23 a.m. on November 12, 2021. A compliance officer contacted the emergency room at approximately 12:39 p.m. on November 12, 2021, to follow up regarding the accident. The Division opened the inspection at the site address on November 18, 2021. After an investigation, the Division found no factors that would have contributed to the employee's having fallen. As a result, the Division found no violations. The employee was hospitalized from November 12, 2021, through November 23, 2021.

Keywords: Back, Emergency Response, Fall, Fall On Same Level, Forklift, Head, Machine operator, Manual Mat Handling, Material Handling, Multi-employer Worksite, Multiemployer, Nerve damage, Pallet, Struck By, Warehouse