Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300813532 - Ca Dept Of Corrections-California Men'S Colony

Inspection Information - Office: Labor Enforcement Task Force (Letf) Unit - South

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:05 a.m. on July 21, 2002, an employee, the supervisory cook, of the California Department of Corrections, California Men's Colony, was preparing lunch. The bread products were stored on plastic trays in a metal rack. Each rack held 14 plastic trays, each capable of holding 12 loafs of bread. Each loaded plastic tray weighed 22.5 lbs. and the metal rack weighed 163 lbs., for a total weight of 478 lbs. The rack dimensions were 29.5 in. by 25.4 in. by 78.6 in. The hallway and storeroom floors were uneven and sloped downward towards each other. The loaded bread rack began to roll down the sloped storeroom floor and the supervisory cook attempted to stop it. She was unable to do so, and when the rack struck her, it toppled over, knocking the cook to the ground and injuring her. Two inmates lifted the rack off the injured employee. The employee suffered severe back strain and a neck injury. She was hospitalized at Sierra Vista Hospital in San Luis Obispo, for observation.

Keywords: BACK, WALKING SURFACE, UNSTABLE SURFACE, FALL, STRUCK BY, SLOPE, SPRAIN