Inspection Detail

Inspection: 17854373 - Newark Boxboard Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Parsippany Area Office

Investigation Summary

Upon completion of slitting a finished roll of recycled waste paper, the roll is removed from the Peloic rewinder machine and left standing vertically until a forklift operator transfers it to a weighing machine that is within 15 ft of the waiting station. The roll is slitted into four separate rolls: three 21 in. by 69 in. rolls weighing 1,800 lb each and one 6 in. by 69 in. roll weighing 500 lb. A forklift operator, driving a TMC industrial forklift with a load rate of 3,650 lb and forks measuring 42 in. long, attempted to raise the first two large rolls, a combined weight of approximately 3,600 lb. The second roll (furthest from the mast of the forklift) fell off the forks and struck the 6 in. roll, causing it in turn to strike the last large roll. Just as this occurred, Employee #1 was walking past the last roll. That roll toppled over, striking his head and trapping it between the top area of the roll and a metal ceiling support I-beam. Employee #1 died instantly of compound fractures of the skull. This fatal accident could have been avoided had Employee #1's work station been located at a safe site, had guardrails been installed to prevent any employee from walking in this area, and had the forklift operator not attempted to raise two rolls at once.

Keywords: FRACTURE, GUARDRAIL, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, LOAD SHIFT, PAPER ROLL, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, SKULL, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT