Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301994307 - Borden Chemical And Plastics Plant

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:45 a.m. on February 27, 1999, Employee #1, a process technician, was operating a Toyota forklift, model #5FD25, serial #75397, in the acetylene unit at Borden Chemical and Plastics, Geismar, LA. As he drove the lift back to its customary parking place, he cut a corner too sharply at the edge of the concrete drive and at least one of the forklift wheels ran off the pavement. There was an approximately 5 in. drop off between the paved surface and the shell around it, especially as over time rain had caused a subsidence of the shell and soil around the driveway. Employee #1 tried to jump clear as the lift overturned but was struck across the back of the head by the upper part of the overhead guard, and was killed. The lift had a seat belt, but it was not known whether Employee #1 was wearing it as he drove the vehicle. There were no witnesses to the accident. The driveway was approximately 30 ft wide and Employee #1 did not have to cut the corner. The company was considering painting yellow cautionary posts at the sides of drives where soil subsidence had occurred to prevent operators from cutting the corners too sharply. Employee #1 was a trained forklift operator who had viewed a 40 minute video, taken a written test, and performed practical exercises as part of his training.

Keywords: HEAD, IND TRK OPERATOR, WARNING LINE, WORK RULES, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, SEAT BELT, MECH MAT HANDLING, SHARP TURN, STRUCK BY, OVERTURN