Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312924400 - Seaboard International Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Houston South Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on September 8, 2010, Employee #1, acting as an outside spotter, was assisting unloading a container as part of a four man crew. A forklift, tooling and slings, were used to drag approximately 4,200 pound double stacked and banded crates across the container floor to the rear doors and edge. Coworkers were positioned inside the container to assist moving the crates and attaching a pallet puller tool to the bottom stringer of the crates. The double stacked and banded crates were positioned with the stringers perpendicular to the rear doors. One end of the approximately 30 ft of slings was placed over the right vertical fork of the forklift. The other end was attached to the 4-in. by 4-in. stringer at the bottom of the crates. The forklift was in reverse, dragging the crate to the rear when it began to twist. The crate caught on hardware left on the floor from bracing that secured the load during transport. The tooling broke the bottom wood crate stringer propelling the tool and wood stringer aft and outside the container, striking Employee #1 in the head. Employee #1 was hospitalized and died six days later.

Keywords: HEAD, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, CONCUSSION, FLYING OBJECT, HAND TOOL