Inspection Detail

Inspection: 102036183 - United Parcel Service

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

TRUCK LOADING IS ACCOMPLISHED AT THIS WORKSITE FROM 5 PM TO 2 AM DAILY. ABOUT 21,000 PACKAGES ARE PROCESSED FOR SHIPPING. THE PACKAGES ARE PLACED ON A CONVEYOR WHICH PASSES SEVERAL "PICK OFF" STATIONS WHERE EMPLOYEES DIVERT THE PACKAGES TO THE APPROPRIATE LOADING BAY. BAY 79, WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, WAS IN TEMPORARY USE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, AND HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR OVER A YEAR. ALSO, A NEW EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO BAY 79. HE BEGAN TO GET BEHIND IN STACKING THE PACKAGES IN THE TRUCK, CAUSING A BACK-UP ON THE ROLLERS AND THE CHUTE INTO THE TRUCK. ONE PACKAGE CAME OFF THE CONVEYOR AND INTO THE CHUTE, KNOCKING ANOTHER 40 POUND PACKAGE UP AND OVER THE PROTECTIVE BARRIER AROUND THE CHUTE. THE BOX FELL ONTO EMPLOYEE #1, THE SUPERVISOR, WHO WAS AT HIS DESK, LOCATED BELOW AND NEXT TO THE CHUTE TO BAY 79. THE PACKAGE STRUCK HIM IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD, KNOCKING HIM TO THE FLOOR. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, KEPT OVERNIGHT, AND RELEASED THE NEXT DAY. HE LOST A TOTAL OF EIGHT DAYS OF WORK. THE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY CHECKED TO SEE IF THE SAME SITUATION EXISTED ELSEWHERE (DESK BY A CHUTE). THERE WERE NO OTHERS. THEY DECIDED TO EITHER MOVE THE DESK UNDER THE CHUTE FOR PROTECTION, OR TO MOVE THE DESK OUT OF THE LOADING AREA COMPLETELY. NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO BE WALKING IN THE LOADING AREA WHILE THE PACKAGES ARE BEING PROCESSED. ALL SAFETY DEVICES AND PRACTICES WERE IN USE AT THE TIME. NO VIOLATIONS WERE FOUND.

Keywords: HEAD, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, UNSTABLE POSITION