Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310480439 - Sears Logistics Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Columbus Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:24 p.m. on August 14, 2007, an employee, a building services worker, had unloaded a metal storage locker into the compactor with a forklift. After disposing of the locker into the compactor, the employee backed the forklift partway into the building, dismounted the forklift and went to the controls, 11 feet from the front of the compactor, and started the compactor. Next, he backed the forklift further into the building and dismounted and went back out to the compactor. Shortly thereafter, a coworker heard a scream and ran out to the compactor where he observed the employee crushed between the compactor ram and the dumpster. The metal storage cabinet was jammed between the body and the dumpster. The employee had a rod that was 84 inches long in his hand when he died and may have been trying to pry at the metal storage locker, which appeared to be blocking the opening of the dumpster. The employee somehow fell into the compactor and was killed. The compactor was set so that the ram would cycle twice, ram out, ram in, ram out, ram in, when the start button was activated. The compactor came equipped with a safety gate to close off the loading area and equipped with a safety interlock switch to ensure that the operator was at a safe distance before the compactor was started. Investigation revealed that the interlock had been jury-rigged so the gate did not have to be closed for the compactor to cycle.

Keywords: JAMMED, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, POINT OF OPERATION, TRASH COMPACTOR