Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300796083 - H R Connect

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At 6:00 a.m. on July 8, 1998, Employee #1 of HR Connect, a temporary agency, was killed while working at UpRight, Inc., in Selma, California. UpRight Inc. manufactures several types of manlifts. Employee #1 worked as a weight tester on the final assembly line of the "X" lift, a scissors lift. As the weight tester, Employee #1 was raising and lowering the lift with a load on it. He is required to determine if there are any leaks or problems with the hydraulic lift system. In this particular lift, he found a leak from a plug located at the bottom of a hydraulic cylinder, which is located near the top of the scissors. He removed the plug. Since the system had lost hydraulic pressure, the scissors compressed. Employee #1 became trapped inside the scissors and was crushed to death. Physical evidence at the scene supports the conclusion that Employee #1 had removed the plug. A ratchet wrench was found inside the machine, as well as a roll of teflon tape. He may have used the Teflon tape to seal the plug. There also was a pan located under the cylinder to capture the spilled hydraulic fluid which would have expected to come out when he removed the plug. There was a substantial amount of fresh hydraulic fluid on the machine and on the pavement around the machine. The company utilizes metal stands, placed between the scissors, to prevent the scissors from collapsing when they are being serviced or assembled. There is also a metal brace on the side of the machine that can be used to lock the scissors. However, Employee #1 failed to use either device. Both employers failed to adequately maintain an Injury and Illness Prevention Program. Also, both employers did not provide adequate training on a regular basis. Safety meetings were held haphazardly, with as much as six months between meetings. UpRight has only performed one self-inspection in the last eight months. The company's safety program requires it to be done monthly. No records of self-inspections were available for HR Connect. Both employers failed to maintain training records of temporary employees. UpRight failed to utilize their lockout and blockout procedures.

Keywords: HYDRAULIC LIFT, LOCKOUT, CRUSHED