Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301327631 - United Steel & Metals

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on May 2, 2002, Employee #1 was working for the Joint Employers Group for United Steel and Metal located at 9657 Rush Avenue in South El Monte, California. Employee #1 was using a fork lift, by Mitsubishi, to remove and transport a roll of steel that was on a slitter. The employee had placed the steel roll on the slitter earlier but was removing because he was told it was the wrong material for the intended process. Employee #1 transported the roll of steel to an area in front of the east roll up door next to the mini office, placed the steel roll on the floor and parked the forklift on the side it. Employee #1 bent over to find the information inside the diameter of the steel roll to make a new ticket for the intended process. A coworker was backing a propane powered forklift into the shop where Employee #1 was and had parked the fork lift. The shop was relatively dark to the coworker compared to bright light outside, while he saw a forklift it appeared unattended and he did not see Employee #1 bending down beside it or the roll of steel. The roll of steel weighed 7700 pounds and was 34.25 in. in diameter and height, and 48.75 in. wide. The coworker was slowly backing into the shop when he felt a bump and heard a scream. The coworker pulled forward, looked to his left and saw Employee #1 laying on his back, holding his left hand. While making out the new tag, Employee #1 had placed his left hand at about 2 ft on the steel roll and the forklift the coworker was operating had pinched it between the forklift and the roll of steel. The coworker took Employee #1 to the clinic that referred them to the Western Hand Center in Downey, California. The coworker returned the worksite with Employee #1 and another coworker took Employee #1 to the Hand Center. Employee #1's left ring finger was amputated and he sustained crushing injuries to the first and second fingers on that hand. Factors that could have caused the accident were the changes in the degree of light experienced by the coworker operating the propane forklift and that sight of the steel roll and Employee #1 were obstructed by the propane cylinder mounted behind the coworker and the rear of the forklift that had been parked by Employee #1. The rear of the forklift was 46 in. from the floor and the propane cylinder was 13 in. higher than that. Employee #1 and the coworker were not trained to safely operate powered industrial trucks (fork lifts). Employee #1 was not hospitalized for his injuries.

Keywords: STEEL, PINNED, OBSTRUCTED REAR VIEW, CAUGHT BETWEEN, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, LIGHTING, HAND