Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305898926 - Ag Warehouse And Packing, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Corpus Christi Area Office

Investigation Summary

On November 19, 2002, the supervisor of the warehouse directed Employee #1 to fix the hydraulic cable on the dump box truck. The supervisor told Employee #1 at 4:00 p.m. to work on the truck, and sent him to purchase a new hydraulic cable. Employee #1 asked the forklift operator to help him on the dump box truck. Employee #1 told the forklift operator that the old hydraulic cable was too hard to operate and that he was going to replace it with a new cable. Employee #1 told the forklift operator to drill another hole next to the door to run the cable, where it would be easier to pull the cable so the hydraulic lift would raise and lower the dump box. The forklift operator gave the new cable to Employee #1 to connect to the hydraulic motor and Employee #1 was crouching down on the passenger side of the dump box. Employee #1 reached for the cable that the forklift operator handed him from under the rails of the truck. The forklift operator was on the driver's side of the dump box and leaned over to give the cable to Employee #1. The forklift operator saw that the fuel filter was dirty, so the forklift operator began taking the fuel filter apart to clean it. The forklift operator did not see Employee #1 lay with his head and arms on the rail to connect the cable to the hydraulic motor. While the forklift operator was working on the fuel filter, the warehouse supervisor arrived and was standing next to forklift operator. The dump box truck had been owned for one week before the warehouse supervisor directed Employee #1 to repair it. The warehouse supervisor never checked the truck to see if Employee #1 had put a jack or some type of mechanical block between the rail and the dump box. The forklift operator saw the dump box coming down slowly, but there was not enough time for the forklift operator to warn Employee #1 to move, since the dump box was approximately two feet from the rail. The forklift operator did not hear Employee #1 yell. The forklift operator squatted down and saw blood dripping from the rails. Employee #1 was stuck and not moving. The forklift operator saw the warehouse supervisor run for a forklift driver. The dump box was lifted with the forks of the forklift truck. The forklift operator grabbed Employee #1's body and squatted down with the body in his arms until the fire department came.

Keywords: HEAD, HYDRAULIC LIFT, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY