Inspection Detail

Inspection: 317230142 - Roy'S Corporation Dba Central Auto Partes

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:00 p.m. on November 4, 2013, Employee #1, with Roy's Corporation Dba Central Auto Partes, was operating a forklift (Clark C500-YS80) alone in the yard and was moving dismantled vehicles from one part of the yard to another. Employee #1 was moving the body of a partially dismantled SUV from a location in the front of the yard to the back of the yard. Employee #1 positioned the forklift in front of the vehicle and lifted the vehicle onto the forks, raising the forks about two ft off the ground. Then, Employee #1 reversed the forklift into the middle of the aisle. A coworker was in the office on the phone while Employee #1 was moving the vehicles. Through the office window, the coworker saw the forklift moving in reverse down the aisle on an angle toward the porch and steps of the front office. The coworker noticed that there was no driver on the forklift. The coworker ran out of the office and shut off power to the forklift just before it hit the beam supporting the porch. The coworker walked around to the other side of the forklift and saw Employee #1 lying on the ground face up approximately 15 ft away from the forklift. The coworker called 911, and emergency services responded to the site. The emergency responders started CPR but stopped upon realizing that Employee #1 had suffered major internal injuries to the chest. Employee #1 was declared dead at the site. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident. Medical reports indicated that the forklift had run over Employee #1, starting at the left leg and then up the left side of the body including the torso, chest, shoulder, and arm.

Keywords: VEHICLE IN GEAR, METAL SHOP, DRIVER, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, RUN OVER, BACKING UP