Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301331997 - Unilever

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:20 p.m. on April 23, 2004, Employee #1 was working at Unilever in Industry, California, was operating a forklift Number 34 for unloading some pallets from inside a parked delivery truck, (a 30-foot long bobtail), and, as he was entering inside the truck with the forklift, the truck suddenly moved from its position, making the forklift fall off the dock. The parked truck moved about 6 to 8 feet forward from its position before the truck driver could apply the brakes and stop it. The forklift fell in between the truck and the dock, injuring Employee #1, who sprained his back and developed pain in his neck and shoulder. He was taken to a local hospital and hospitalized for about six hours. The wheels of parked truck were not chocked by the truck driver or Employee #1, the forklift operator, nor the truck restrained from movement by any other means. According to the employer, Employee #1 drove the forklift onto the ramp plate connecting the back of truck to dock, the forklift started sliding, so Employee #1 accelerated the forklift onto truck, and truck moved forward, causing the forklift to drop to ground with Employee #1.

Keywords: IND TRK OPERATOR, SHOULDER, DOCK, RAMP, WORK RULES, BACK, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, FALL, NECK, SPRAIN