Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311501084 - J. Construction Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Cincinnati Area Office

Investigation Summary

On October 26, 2007, Employee #1 and a coworker were engaged in a masonry operation on a Super Wal-Mart store in Colerain, OH. They were using two Lull rough-terrain forklifts, in tandem, to move a 56 ft bridge section of a Hydro-Mobile scaffold. The 7,100 lb scaffold section had twelve 2 in. by 10 in. by 16 ft planks, a quarter barrel of water, and four metal scaffold gates on top of the bridge. Each operator was using a nylon sling hooked through the scaffold bridge and both eyes of each sling was looped onto the forks of the respective lift trucks in preparation for transporting the structure to another location on the job site. Employee #1 had four forks on his Lull 644TT, two of which were moved completely over to the driver's side of the Lull; the sling was attached with the forks in this position to allow him to serve as the 'pivot' man. The coworker's 944 Lull had the proportionate load spread between two forks on opposite sides of the machine, more evenly distributing the weight. The two workers had moved the bridge to the vicinity of where it was to be eventually re-erected and were attempting to set it on the 30 yd dumpster when Employee #1's forklift overturned toward the driver's side, where the load was attached. He was not wearing a seat belt and he either jumped or fell from the lift truck and was crushed by the frame of the unit. The load either was not lowered evenly between the two Lulls or it shifted and the majority of the load, along with way it was secured to the forks resulted in the forklift tipping over.

Keywords: IND TRK OPERATOR, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, LOAD SHIFT, CONSTRUCTION, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, MECH MAT HANDLING, OVERTURN