Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307170050 - Pacific Stone Designs

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 9, 2006, Employee #1 was working his usual assignment as a forklift operator assistant. The forklift operator and Employee #1 were unloading a shipment of approximately 30 marble slabs from the delivery truck and moving them to the storage rack area, located at the rear of the of the fabrication building. The marble slabs involved in the accident measure 54 in. by 120 in. and the weight of each slab was approximately 500 pounds. The marble slabs are lifted with a boom attachment on the forks of the forklift. A scissor type grabber with rubber grips is hung at the end of the boom. The scissor grabber is opened and the rubber grips are placed on each side of the slabs, as the boom is lifted, the scissor action and the weight of marble slabs close the grabber onto the slab and held in place by friction. Once the marble slabs are set down the scissor-type grabber automatically opens and releases the slabs. At the time of accident, the forklift operator had situated the boom with three slabs in front of the "A" frame storage rack, and began to lower the slabs. Employee #1 was to push the slabs towards the "A" frame rack, but as the scissor grip released pressure from the slabs, the approximate weight of 1500 pounds overcame Employee #1 and consequently fell on the top of him. Employee #1 suffered four broken ribs and head and shoulder injuries and was hospitalized.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, SHOULDER, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, MANUAL MAT HANDLING, RIB, MECH MAT HANDLING, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, UNSTABLE LOAD