Inspection Detail

Inspection: 304163702 - Finish Line Horse Products, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Naperville Area Office

Investigation Summary

On December 18, 2001, Employee #1, a warehouse employee who also functioned as an assistant warehouse manager, decided to replace some overhead fluorescent light bulbs which he thought were burned out. Employee #1 stood on a pallet on the forks of a lift truck and asked a coworker, an independent contractor performing maintenance at the facility, to operate the controls to raise him up. The coworker operated the controls to raise Employee #1 to a height of approximately 6 ft to 7 ft, where he stood to reach the lights that were approximately 10 ft to 12 ft above ground. The coworker then handed Employee #1 two bulbs. Employee #1 changed the bulbs and then told the coworker to lower him. As the coworker was slowly lowering Employee #1, the lift truck mast clicked at a stage that caused the pallet to shift. Employee #1 lost his balance and grabbed onto the moving mast to keep from falling. The tip of Employee #1's left third finger was amputated when it was caught between the mast pulley wheel and the side of the mast. Employee #1 had recently received formal forklift training arranged by the company. The coworker had not received formal forklift training, but he considered himself to be self-taught. On the day of the accident, a rented scissor lift was available in the work area, however Employee #1 had not been trained or directed to use it. A ladder was also available and could have been brought from another area to use. This was not a routine task for Employee #1, who later realized that the lights were not burned out but were simply not turned on. The location of the light switch was unknown, since the company had recently moved into the building. Employee #1 was treated for his injury but was not hospitalized.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, AMPUTATED, FINGER, LIGHTING FIXTURE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, PALLET, PULLEY, LOST BALANCE, UNTRAINED