Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315906917 - Freres Lumber Co Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Eugene

Investigation Summary

On January 18, 2013, Employee #1 was seriously injured. Employee #1, #2 and #3 were working out of an all terrain scissor lift installing wood forms on the walls and the ceilings of concrete vats used in the process of veneer manufacturing. The job that they were doing was installing shotcrete on the walls and the ceiling of the vat. As the scissor lift was going up from the ground to the ceiling, Employee #1 was holding a 2 in. by 2 in. by 8 ft form over the side of the rail of the lift as they were going up. When they got close to the ceiling, Employee #2, the lift operator, let go of the controls which should have stopped any movement of the lift. It did not, and the lift continued to raise toward the ceiling. Employee #1 heard Employee #2 saying "it would not stop" so he started to slide back into the working area of the lift but got his head caught between the rail and the ceiling. Employee #2 hit the emergency stop but Employee #1 had already gotten caught. Employee #2 restarted the lift which reset and lowered enough to release Employee #1. Employee #2 and Employee #3 in the lift helped Employee #1to the floor of the lift and tried to make him comfortable and lowered the lift to the ground. Employee #2 stayed with Employee #1 while Employee #3 went for help. 911 was called and Employee #1was transported to the nearest hospital. Employee #1 stained a broken jaw along with a cracked vertebra in his neck.

Keywords: AERIAL LIFT, RAIL, CEILING, CAUGHT BETWEEN, NECK, VERTEBRA