Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119616050 - True Stone

Inspection Information - Office: San Francisco District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:45 p.m. on December 31, 1995, Employee #1, a general helper for True Stone Distributing in San Francisco, CA, was using a forklift to offload slabs of marble from a trailer. Each slab weighed approximately 350 lb and was stacked on a 20 ft metal beam (4 in. square lengths of fused metal, approximately 3/16 in. thick). The beam had holes at intervals to insert 6 in. high metal pipes with a diameter of about 2 1/2 in. Employee #1 was working between the slabs when the metal beam frames bent at the hole under the heavy load, causing 38 slabs to shift toward Employee #1. He was pinned in a standing position to the stone slabs behind him. The owner heard the noise and immediately tried to use the forklift to relieve the weight on Employee #1. His efforts were unsuccessful. The owner called 911 and within 2 to 3 minutes, the San Francisco fire department, paramedics, and police department responded. The fire department revealed that Employee #1 was standing between the stone slabs with the weight of those in front of him resting against his upper torso. His hands were raised. His left hand was out to the side, palm toward the side of his head, and his right hand was resting upon the marble slab. There was a cut on his neck just below the chin. He was killed.

Keywords: BEAM, UNSECURED, PINNED, WORK RULES, OVERLOADED, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, LACERATION, OFF LOADING