Inspection Detail

Inspection: 316473610 - Demco Manufacturing Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Iowa 0751910

Investigation Summary

On April 4, 2012, Employee #1 was working for Demco Manufacturing, a manufacturer of farm machinery and equipment, in Boyden, Iowa. Many coworkers were at work at the time of the incident. Employee #1 was driving a Caterpillar Model Number GP25 LPG-powered forklift, with manufacturer Serial Number 5AM91527 and Demco Serial Number 10. He and a coworker, the first of several coworkers in this narrative, were loading two large Demco Model Number 1050 agricultural grain carts onto a 53-foot (16.2-meter) drop deck semi-trailer or tractor trailer while a contracted truck driver observed. Employee #1 and this first coworker had loaded both grain carts, some augers, and six of eight tires onto the trailer. With this configuration, six of the tires were placed onto the raised deck, and the other two duals were split to load onto the rear of the trailer. The grain cart tire was standing upright, cradled between the forks. Employee #1 climbed up onto the dashboard of the forklift. The coworker walked behind the forklift to climb up onto the semitrailer. The coworker then heard Employee #1 scream, "I'm stuck; I'm stuck." The coworker saw that Employee #1 was caught between the mast and the forklift cage below his ribs and above his pelvis. The truck driver or the coworker shut the forklift off. Employee #1 was unable to free himself, because his boot was wedged between the mast and the tilt lever. The coworker was screaming, and a second and a third coworker, both of whom were also working as loaders, came running out to the lot from inside the building. By the time the second and third coworkers arrived, the first coworker and the truck driver had Employee #1 on the ground. The second coworker then ran for help. He returned with a fourth coworker, working as the safety manager; a fifth coworker, working as a nurse; a sixth coworker, also working as a nurse; and a seventh coworker, working as the department supervisor. The first nurse told the second coworker to call emergency medical services. The second coworker then returned to the lot and cleared the way for an ambulance from the Boyden Ambulance service to arrive. The Boyden ambulance arrived and took control of the scene. After some tests, Employee #1 was taken to the Sanford Medical Center, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Additional testing and monitoring was performed there. Employee #1 died of his injuries at approximately 8:45 p.m. on April 5, 2012.

Keywords: LOADING, ABDOMEN, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, MECH MAT HANDLING, TRACTOR TRAILER, NIP POINT