Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119828218 - Ready Pac

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:20 p.m. on November 14, 2000, Employee #1 fractured her right leg after she fell about two feet from an incline railing to the deck/platform of a conveyor line Number 2 in the production department. Employee #1 works for Ready Pac Produce. She had stepped onto a railing of the conveyor to reach the top of conveyor for placing a diverter plate on the conveyor bed. The plate size was 22 inches by 17 inches. Another employee, a witness, was standing near by, called for help and assisted in getting Employee #1's leg out. The witness stated that Employee #1 was placing a plate used to divert lettuce on the top of the conveyor and fell while climbing down the railing. Investigators obtained a written accident statement from the witness. The written statement was later placed in the case file. Investigators tried to interview Employee #1 at her home at a later date but her husband declined the interview stating that she was not allowed to do so, citing a request from her attorney. Investigators left a blank accident statement form with her husband for completion through her attorney and instructed him to mail it back to the California OSHA office but never received one. Apparently, Employee #1 stepped on the bottom incline rail of the conveyor unit to reach the top of the conveyor in the presence of his trainer/coworker without being stopped from doing so. This unsafe practice existed in the past prior to this accident. The accident investigation report prepared by his supervisor outlined the need for installing a step at the bottom of the machine but nothing was done to abate the problem, which still existed during the 2nd visit to the facility on November 27, 2000. She was hospitalized for more than 24 hours at Arcadia Methodist Hospital for treatment and released later to recuperate at home.

Keywords: PLATFORM, FRACTURE, RAIL, LEG