Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312914427 - Power Train Services

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

On October 23, 2009, Employee #1, a mechanic's helper, was helping his employer remove the transmission from a Peterbilt truck. The employer and Employee #1 had removed the transmission, using a transmission jack, and Employee #1 was assigned the task of moving the transmission from under the truck. The truck was not high enough for the transmission to clear, and Employee #1 attempted to lift the truck by using a twenty-ton, air-operated hydraulic bottle jack, which he placed at the middle of the front axle. As the jack lifted, the truck shifted and slid off the support stands. A support stand lying on its side prevented the truck from falling to the ground. Employee #1 was caught between the engine oil pan and the mechanic's creeper he was on. Employee #2, who was working outside, reported pulling Employee #1 from under the truck. The clearance between the engine pan and the creeper was estimated at ten inches to twelve inches. Employee #1 was transported to Corcoran District Hospital and then transferred to Fresno Community Hospital for back surgery. He was hospitalized. The company owner notified the Division about the injury on October 29, 2009. The employer asserted that Employee #1 claimed to be standing under the front fender when the truck shifted and that the truck struck him on the back as it fell. According to the employer, Employee #1 had been complaining of back pain for two years. The employer had not established an Injury and Illness Prevention Program, as required by Cal/OSHA regulations.

Keywords: REPAIR, MECHANIC, TRUCK, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, JACK, UNSTABLE POSITION