Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120226873 - Freight Rider Express

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:15 p.m. on February 7, 2003, Employee #1 was at 1717 Boyd Street in Santa Ana, California delivering computer parts in boxes to a client. The employee was using a company truck (number 301) equipped with a Maxom lift gate (model number RCW-4B; serial number C905982760) with a 4000 pound capacity in the rear. The lift gate had three folding platforms. Each platform was 92 in. long with the outermost platform, "C", away from the truck being 12 in. wide; the innermost platform, "A", closest to the truck being 42 in. wide; and the platform in the center, "B" being 18 in. wide. When unfolding the gate, platforms B and C are in one vertical plane and platform A is in another vertical plane- the distance between the planes are about 6 in. Employee #1 activated the lift gate switch to initiate unfolding. The employee then proceeded to unhook the chain hook of the lift gate, not realizing the lift gate was lowered to a point that if the chain was unhooked the lift gate would automatically unfold completely. The lift gate started to fully unfold and the glove on Employee #1's right hand was caught in the lift gate groove, between platforms B and A. Before he could pull his right hand out, his fourth finger on the right hand was amputated due to the rapidly closing groove between the platforms. The employee was transported to Tustin Community Hospital for medical treatment but was not hospitalized. The employee did not follow proper safety procedure and the lift gate was operated under conditions of speeds, stresses/loads which endangered the employee who was operating it.

Keywords: DELIVERY WORK, PLATFORM, AMPUTATED, FINGER, WORK RULES, TRUCK