Inspection Detail

Inspection: 115432635 - Enterprise Lumber Co Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Dosh Everett Service Location, Everett, Wa

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on March 2, 1994, Employee #1 and two coworkers were unloading units of lumber from a 45 ft van that had been loaded earlier in the day. The employees had left, but had to return because the load was found to be over the legal weight. The following unloading process, which is used by the mill, is used throughout the lumber industry. A chain is attached on each side to a 1 1/4 in. metal band that surrounds the unit. The opposite end is attached to a forklift. The chains are taken off and the forklift moves in and slides its forks completely under the load. The load is tilted back and the forklift backs up, pulling the unit of lumber out of the van (approximately 4 ft). At the forklift end of the load, a crutch (a metal A-frame device) is placed under the load. The load is set down and the forklift can then move around to the side of the load and pick it up. At this point, the forklift driver felt that the load was too tippy. He called to warn Employee #1 and his coworkers to evacuate because he was going to set the load down. The coworker at the end of the load backed away, but Employee #1, who was on the back side of the load, walked toward the load at the same time it was being set back down on the crutch. When the weight was off the forks and on the crutch, the load rolled over, pinning Employee #1, who suffered severe trauma to the hips, shoulders, and head. He died

Keywords: HEAD, SHOULDER, PINNED, ROLL-OVER, LOAD SHIFT, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, LUMBER, OFF LOADING, FALLING OBJECT, HIP