Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312311483 - Marine Terminal Corp Dba Ports America

Inspection Information - Office: High Hazard Unit - South

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on February 16, 2009, an employee drove the fork lift onto the Four Pallet Lifting Cage so the ship crane could lift the cage onto the ship. Coworkers #1 and #2 were attempting to secure the forklift on the cage with chain straps. Coworker #3 lifted the cage approximately 10 feet of the working surface without any signals from Coworkers #1 and #2 that the forklift was secured and ready to lift. The employee and forklift fell off the cage and landed on the concrete surface, forklift did not land on employee, causing fractures of the left leg and left clavicle. The employee was initially transported by paramedics to Saint Johns Medical Center in Oxnard. The employee was hospitalized and treated for fractured legs. Coworker #3 thought that the employee was clear and the forklift was secured to the cage. It was a clear night, and there were no other environmental conditions that could have caused an obstruction of views. Coworker #3 did not report and any malfunction of the controls for the crane.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HOISTING MECHANISM, FALL, STRUCK BY, WORK SURFACE, LEG