Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314285958 - Evergreen Timber Limited Partnership

Inspection Information - Office: Alaska Department Of Labor Osh Enforcement

Investigation Summary

On January 25, 2011, Employee #1 and a coworker were experienced loggers who were tasked to place a spool of wire inside a specially-designed metal box so the wire could be used to band bundles of logs. The spool of wire weighed approximately 2,000 lbs and needed to be retrieved from an area approximately 10 ft away from the metal box, which was approximately 40 in. high, 36 in. long and 20 in. wide. A five-feet long wire sling and frontend loader with log fork attachments were used to lift and move the spool of wire. The coworker operated the frontend loader while Employee #1 stood on the ground and guided the vehicle into position. Once in front of the spool of wire, the coworker received and executed the signal to lower the opened-log forks, and Employee #1 placed the sling approximately 6 in. onto the right tip of the log fork attachment. The coworker lifted the log forks with the spool of wire hanging approximately 5 ft off the ground. The log forks remained in the open position, while the coworker drove the frontend loader a distance of approximately 10 ft over a slightly bumpy and uneven surface to the metal box. The coworker suspended the spool of wire at an approximate height of 6 in. above the metal box. Employee #1 placed his upper body under the suspended load and inside the circumference of the spool of wire while he attempted to cut the banding that was around the spool of wire. The sling slipped off the end of the fork attachments, and the spool of wire fell and struck Employee #1. His upper body was pinned inside the metal box, and he was crushed. Employee #1 was killed.

Keywords: FRONT END LOADER, UNSECURED, PINNED, SUSPENDED LOAD, TORSO, CRUSHED, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, UNSTABLE POSITION