Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312430044 - Robison Trucking

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At 11:18 a.m. on November 20, 2008, Employee #1 was observing three employees of an electrical contractor who were unloading base columns for athletic field lights from a trailer. Each column was 26 ft long, 20 in. diameter, and weighed approximately 7500 lbs. The unloading was being done with a telescoping lift truck; its operator had not been trained on its operation. A supervisor was directing the operation from the top of the other concrete columns that were on the trailer. The lift operator positioned the tines of the lift under a concrete column to a point approximately 24 in. from the tip of the tines, and then raised the column 11 in. above the chocks. When the tines were tilted upward, the tilt control allegedly malfunctioned. The concrete column then rolled away from the lift truck, knocking the supervisor to the ground. The concrete column fell 95 in., landing on Employee #1's pelvic area, crushing him and killing him.

Keywords: COLUMN, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, PELVIS, OFF LOADING, UNTRAINED, CONCRETE, UNSTABLE LOAD