Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1254093 - Contract Freighters Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Cincinnati Area Office

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS ASSISTING EMPLOYEE #2 IN UNLOADING A FLAT BED TRUCK LOADED WITH 40,000 POUNDS OF VERY LARGE GLASS PLATES. APPROXIMATELY 20,000 POUNDS OF PLATE GLASS WERE SECURED TO EACH SIDE OF AN "A" FRAME STRUCTURE BY FOUR SEPARATE NYLON STRAPS, ALL LOCATED ON THE FLAT BED. EMPLOYEE #1 RELEASED THE FOUR STRAPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE "A" FRAME AND THE 20,000 LBS. OF PLATE GLASS WAS REMOVED WITH AN OVERHEAD HOIST. REMOVING THE LOAD ON THE RIGHT SIDE CAUSED THE PLATE GLASS ON THE LEFT SIDE TO BECOME MORE VERTICAL AND NO LONGER LAYING ON AN ANGLE. WHEN EMPLOYEE #1 REMOVED 2 OF THE 4 STRAPS ON THE LEFT SIDE, THE GLASS PLATES FELL FORWARD. THIS BROKE THE OTHER 2 STRAPS, ALLOWING 20,000 POUNDS OF PLATE GLASS TO FALL ON EMPLOYEE #1. SHE DIED INSTANTLY. THE PROPER PROCEDURE WOULD HABE BEEN TO REMOVE SOME PLATES FROM EACH SIDE UNTIL THEY WERE ALL UNLOADED. THIS WAS NOT DONE DUE TO THE SMALLNESS OF THE STORAGE AREA. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE MOVED AND REPOSITIONED TO UNLOAD THE OTHER SIDE.

Keywords: CRUSHED, MECH MAT HANDLING, FALLING OBJECT, UNSTABLE LOAD