Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126063437 - Columbia Pictures Industries Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, a welder, was employed by Columbia Pictures Industries Inc. in Monrovia, California. A fatal accident occurred from a rough terrain forklift tipping over on March 6, 2001. Employees from multiple disciplines were constructing a large movie set for an upcoming feature called "Spiderman". The set was a building facade that was to have several steel framed signs hung from the facade corners and scaffolding set up behind it. The signs were constructed of steel square tubing. The one involved in the accident weighed 1800 pounds, and measured approximately 15 feet wide and 30 feet long. It was being hoisted in place by an Ingersoll Rand rough terrain forklift that had a shop-made truss weighing 800 pounds attached to the forks, which effectively converted it into a crane. The truss, which was constructed by the orders of the welding foreman from his memory of one that he had seen sometime in the past, moved the loads center of gravity forward 12 feet, and completely off the standard load chart. In order for the load to be handled, the boom was fully extended and at a 60 or above degree angle. The load had been picked up to where the sign was several feet off the ground and was being moved into position on the set. As it moved forward, it was being followed by a Genie brand, Model S-60 elevating platform, which contained two welders who were going to weld it in place when it arrived at it's destination. In the path of the forklift was a 4 inch concrete curb that was being approached at approximately a 45-degree angle to it's front axle. Tire pressure of the forklift tires was 44 psi for three of its wheels and 43 psi on the fourth. The right front wheel of the forklift went up on the curb first, which caused the forklift to tip slightly to its left. This in turn caused the load to shift to the left of center. As that occurred, the forklift began to tip over. The man basket that had been following the forklift was now directly in the path of the falling boom. The boom hit the basket of the lift, and Employee #1 was struck in the head, partially decapitating him.

Keywords: BOOM, WELDER, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, DECAPITATED, CRANE, OVERTURN