Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1730768.015 - Machinex Technologies, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Columbus Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 1:00 p.m. on February 27, 2024, an employee and a coworker working for a building equipment contractor were installing metal plating on the underside of an existing recycling machine during a construction project. The employee and coworker had entered a scissor lift adjacent to the work area and were using the lift to access the adjacent work area. The coworker was driving and facing forward while the employee was facing backwards at the rear railing of the lift. The coworker drove the lift in a "U" shape to enter the adjacent work area. As the coworker entered the work site, he passed under an 8-foot-high cross bracing located directly above the top railing of the lift. The coworker crouched down and yelled "Watch out!" to the employee. At approximately 1:15 p.m., while the lift was in motion, the employee was struck in the back by the metal cross bracing. This caused the employee to be pushed forward partially over the rear guardrail of the lift. As a result, the employee was crushed between the cross bracing and lift. The coworker stopped the scissor lift upon hearing the employee making distress sounds and jumped out of the side of the lift to assist the employee. The employee fell forward out of the extending his arms to try and catch his fall. The employee did not respond to attempts to provide emergency resuscitation. The employee died from traumatic internal injuries.

Keywords: Abdomen, Aerial Lift, Aerial Truck, CPR, Caught Between, Communication, Construction, Construction vehicle, Crushed, Equipment Operator, Guardrail, Installing, Internal , Internal Bleeding, Internal Injuries, Material Handling, Metal Beam, Multi-employer Worksite, Multiemployer, Scissor lift, Unsafe Position