Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 202509964 - Employee Fractures Leg When Cylinders Fall
Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
316817428 | 05/14/2013 | 8999 | 541990 | Air Gas On Site Safety Services |
Abstract: At approximately 2:45 p.m. on April 22, 2013, Employee #1, a Delivery Driver for AirGas Onsite Safety Services, was driving a Ford truck (F-550 USDOT Number 1785231, License Plate Number 68620G1). The truck did not have a lift gate. The fork lift being used to unload the six packs from the truck was a Caterpillar (Model Number DPL40, Serial Number 3CM12445). The employee was unloading cylinders of compressed breathing air. The forks on the Caterpillar Forklift were too wide and did not fit into the slots provided under the 6 pack's metal frame. Due the larger size of the forks on the Caterpillar Forklift, a 3 sided fork attachment (metal cage) was required to lift and remove the six packs from the bed of the truck. The cage was attached to the forklift by inserting the forks through the slots located on the bottom of the cage. The forklift with attached cage was lined up even with the edge of the truck bed. Employee #1 rolled the six packs to the back of the cage and attempted to secure it. The chains at the back of the cage were wrapped around the six pack and the hooks on the chains were attached to the hooks on the basket. A coworker slowly backed the forklift with the attached cage containing the six packs away from the truck while simultaneously lowering the forks. After clearing the truck the coworker turned the forklift and began moving forward toward the cylinder staging area. At this point, Employee #1 noticed that the chain securing the six packs, had come loose and fell off of the six packs, and began to wobble inside the cage. The employee approached the cage to try and stabilize the six packs. The six packs began tipping over and Employee #1 attempted to jump out of the path of the falling six packs. The six packs fell from the basket and trapped the employee on his right side. The coworker removed Employee #1 from under the six packs. A coworker called Emergency Rescue Services and the employee was transported via ambulance to John Muir Medical Center, where he was treated for a fracture to his right leg. Employee was later released.
Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 316817428 | Hospitalized injury | Fracture | Driver-sales workers |