Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307334052 - United Parcel Service

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:45 p.m. on June 1, 2004, Employee #1, a supervisor for a mail service company, was checking the manifests and weight on L-9 shipping containers before being loaded on the port side of a Boeing 767 cargo plane. This task was part of her usual and customary duties as a part-time supervisor. Each L-9 container has a Unit Load Device (ULD) that holds the cargo on the airplane. The ULD sits on a conveying device known as a dolly, a four-wheeled cart that has provisions for attachment on both ends. These dollies are typically attached to make a train of four carts, known as a "string". The strings are towed to and from the aircraft by a small cargo tractor, known as a "tug". The tugs are driven by an operator in a manner similar to driving an automobile. As Employee #1 checked the manifests on an L-9 container that was on the third dolly in a string of four, with the door of the container facing the rear of the string, she positioned herself between the third and fourth dolly. The string of dollies was stationed perpendicular to the nose of the aircraft, approximately 20 to 25 feet away. A crew member, known as a runner, attached a tug to the front of the dolly and called for a tug operator to man the tug in preparation to pull the string of dollies to the aircraft. The tug operators are instructed by a pivot person, who receives orders of operation from the runner. As the pivot person directed the tug operator of the first string to drive towards the aircraft, the driver behind him moved forward, with Employee #1 still located between the third and fourth dollies. The operator of the second string of dollies was not instructed to move. Employee #1 was struck by the fourth container and knocked to the ground, and was dragged about 15 to 20 feet. Employee #1 suffered severe skin abrasions, caused by her skin coming into contact with the concrete surface of the ground, and a penetrating ligament injury to her right knee, which resulted from the weight of the dolly on her leg. A detailed investigation determined that the second driver misjudged his distance from the aircraft, perceiving that he was about 100 feet away and did not need to take direction from the pivot person. According to Employee #1 and a witness, the second driver was about 20 to 25 feet from the cargo plane. Employee #1 was hospitalized for her injuries.

Keywords: KNEE, LOADING, VEHICLE, STORAGE BIN, WORK RULES, DRAGGED, ABRASION, SKIN, STRUCK BY