Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300873080 - Centinela Concrete Vault Co Dba Enderle Vault Co

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:45 p.m. on February 11, 2010, Employee #1 was working as a laborer in the exterior product inventory area at Centinela Concrete Vault Company dba Enderle Vault Company (primarily engaged in manufacturing concrete products, except block and brick, from a combination of cement and aggregate), when a forklift operator backed up and the forklift struck a metal form containing a concrete vault. The impact of the forklift caused the metal form to shift, pinning Employee #1's right leg between two metal forms. He sustained a right femur fracture. Employee #1 stated during an interview on March 9, 2010 that he was working between two concrete vaults, the last two stored furthest from the main office, at the time of the accident. Employee #1 stated that after finishing the surface of the box, he used a hand tool to level the edges of the concrete within the metal forms while walking around the vaults in a clockwise direction. Employee #1 stated that as he was looking down and using a hand tool to level the concrete while the General Manager, who was operating a propane powered forklift in the near vicinity, backed up and struck a metal form containing a concrete vault. The impact from the forklift caused the metal form to shift off of the metal pallet, pinning Employee #1's right leg between two vault forms. Employee #1 stated that at the point of impact he was looking down as he was using a hand tool to level the concrete in forms when the forklift struck. Employee #1 stated that he did not hear the back-up alarm on the forklift, did not hear forklift's horn, nor any communication from the forklift operator prior to the impact. The forklift operator (General Manager) stated during an interview on April 8, 2010 that the accident happened at about 2:45 PM, approximately 15 minutes prior to the close of business. The General Manager stated that he utilized a 1989 Model Number 1989 4FG25, Serial Number 23404 forklift to relocate two empty forms to make space for an upcoming cement delivery. The General Manager stated that he moved the two empty forms about 20 yards away from where Employee #1 was working, looked in the rear view mirror of forklift, reversed the forklift, and struck the form containing the cement, resulting in the accident. The General Manager stated that he did not use the forklift's horn when backing and that the forklift's back-up alarm was functioning. According to medical records Employee #1 was admitted to Centinela Hospital Medical Center on February 11, 2010 at approximately 3:48 PM and discharged on February 12, 2010. Employee #1 was treated, including surgical treatment for the right femur fracture. Employee #1 stated during an interview that the accident could have been prevented if the forklift operator kept in communication with him, if the back-up alarm of the forklift was working or loud enough to hear, if the operator had used the horn prior to backing up, and if an area was marked off for the forklift operator to work in.

Keywords: BACK-UP ALARM, CONCRETE FORM WORK, FRACTURE, HORN, IND TRK OPERATOR, PINNED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, INATTENTION, LEG