Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310094859 - Bigge Group Dba Bigge Crane And Rigging Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Foster City District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:05 a.m. on November 14, 2008, Employee #1, a rigger for Bigge Crane and Rigging Company, was rigging pallets of brick pavers with a pallet hook at a multi-unit residential apartment construction jobsite. A forklift operator, working for Golden State Landscapers, was operating a Mitsubisihi forklift, Model Number FG25N, and was staging the pallets of pavers for Employee #1 from a location on a traffic-controlled roadway. The roadway was measured at approximately a 5 percent grade. The forklift operator parked the forklift, with the motor running, approximately 30 feet away from Employee #1 and fully engaged the parking brake. He then lowered the forks onto the roadway and walked down to assist Employee #1 with the task of rigging the pallet hook. After the pallet hook had been properly positioned, the forklift operator noticed that the forklift was traveling down the hill toward them. He yelled and jumped out of the way but Employee #1 did not have time to react. Employee #1 was struck by the forklift and crushed against the pallet of brick pavers. His left leg and foot were crushed, and he was transported to Peninsula Hospital where he was hospitalized with his injuries.

Keywords: RIGGING, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, PALLET, STRUCK BY, FOOT, LEG