Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300759487 - Arco Products Company

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:00 a.m. on August 28, 2000, Employee #1, craftsman, sustained a broken left femur and chemical burns when the industrial truck he was operating overturned, pinning his leg. The industrial truck involved in the accident was a Ross Carrier or Straddle Carrier, Number 5284 (Blue). The Ross Carrier is an industrial lift truck that lifts by driving over its load and picking the load from its mid-section. The vehicle is approximately 8 ft tall, 8 ft wide, and 12 ft long. It is driven and controlled from the driver's seat on top of the vehicle. On the day of the accident, which was the first day of Employee #1's workweek, Employee #1 began a twelve-hour shift at 6:00 a.m. He was assigned by a foreman to move a bundle in the SSIA Unit Number 1. Employee #1 went to the Ross Carrier and did a visual inspection of the vehicle. He then started the vehicle and warmed the engine for approximately 10 minutes because of past idling experiences. Employee #1 boarded the vehicle and drove about 0.25 mile in the tank farm. When he was making a left turn, the engine stalled and the hydraulics for the steering became inactive, causing the vehicle to leave the road. The Ross Carrier landed on its side trapping Employee #1's leg between a pipe and the carrier, and causing a broken left femur. When the industrial lift truck was in its inverted position, gasoline began pouring out of the tank, onto the Employee's left side, causing chemical burns. Employee #1 was taken to the Harbor General Hospital and treated for his injuries. The causal factors for the accident were the lack of refresher training and improper maintenance of the truck, which led to the unit stalling and losing steering.

Keywords: FRACTURE, VEHICLE, PINNED, ENGINE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, CHEMICAL BURN, PIPE, LEG, OVERTURN