Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: STRUCK BY

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by a forklift as a result of violation of safe rules of operation for a forklift and lack of or incomplete forklift operator training: a)At Ben Hill Griffin Parkway in Estero, Fl., employees were placing grass sod on the ground in the vicinity of a 1998 Model 930 JCB 6000lb. forklift being operated and there was no evidence or records that the operator of the forklift had received forklift driver training in the detail and extent necessary to safely operate a forklift on or about 07/19/01. b)At Ben Hill Griffin Parkway in Estero, Fl., employees were placing grass sod on the ground from pallets that were being moved by a 1998 Model 930 JCB 6000lb. forklift and the forklift operator while moving the pallets of grass sod did not verify the presence and location of another worker near a pallet in the forklift path of travel, prior to traveling in reverse on or about 07/19/01. ABATEMENT VERIFICATION IS REQUIRED ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD OF ABATEMENT WOULD BE TO: 1) Follow the manufacturer's instructions in the operator's manual for the JCB forklifts Models 926,930,940 in the "Operation" section under "Loading and Unloading" there is a caution to "Take special care when reversing". Additionally the "Operator Manual" should be with the forklift at all times for reference if needed and the forklift operator should completely read and understand the "Operator Manual" for a step-by-step learning process on how to safely operate the forklift. 2) Require all forklift operators to have the complete forklift operator training as specified in ASME B56.1-1993 (Revision of ASME/ANSI B56.1-1988) Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks, Section 4.19 "Operator Training". In addition in the same document, in Section 5 "Operating Safety Rules and Practices", the operator is responsible for safe operation of the forklift to exercise particular care that employees may step into the path of travel of the forklift. Section 5.1.4 in the same document also requires before operating any forklift, the forklift operator shall have read and be familiar with the operator's manual for the particular forklift being operated.