Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310200183 - Ernest Sanchez Gomez Dba G & G Concrete

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on November 12, 2007, Employee #1 was helping the employer-company owner remove a block wall from the front yard of a private home. The employer was operating a Case 1840 Uni-Loader skidsteer, part #8-80930, product #JAF 0288441, with Employee #1 assisting. Employee #1 later stated that a section of the wall was lying on the grass and that the owner used the skidsteer bucket to stand the wall section up on end. The bucket was on top of the standing wall section as the section kept falling down, so Employee #1 approached the wall and put pieces of block cement into a hole so it would not fall into the hole. The owner pulled the bucket back to keep the wall standing up. Employee #1 later stated that he told the owner not to move anything so he could put more bricks into the footing. Employee #1 put all the blocks and pieces into the footing and was holding onto the wall until he could walk away. The bucket descended while he was bent down and caused the wall to move. The top of the wall crushed his little finger against the teeth of the bucket. The owner had a different version of the event. He later stated that Employee #1 was placing 3.5 ft high by 4 ft long block pillars into the bucket of the tractor, and that he was balancing one block when it rocked into the bucket, tilted, and crushed Employee #1's finger against the top portion of the bucket. The owner stated he was not moving the bucket at the time. The case arose because of a complaint from Employee #1.

Keywords: WALL, DISMANTLING, FINGER, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, MANUAL MAT HANDLING, LOADER, MECH MAT HANDLING