Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313379851 - Clougherty Packing Llc Dba Farmer John

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 21, 2009, Employee #1 was working for his employer of 18 years, an incorporated company that slaughtered porcine livestock, as well as processed and packaged the pork products for distribution to industry and the general public. Employee #1 was performing his duties as an industrial truck operator in the ham bone department. He was operating a Crown industrial truck (pallet jack), near a battery charging station on the west side of the facility. Employee #1 stated that while he was traveling down a ramp, the pallet jack ran into a depression in the asphalt and caused him to lose his balance. He fell from the operator platform to the ground, and the pallet jack ran up onto his torso area. Employee #1 apparently sustained an unspecified fracture and was hospitalized. Cal/OSHA identified an approximate 1.25-inch-deep depression in the area where the incident occurred. They also thought it was possible that Employee #1 struck a retaining curb located on the left side (from direction of travel) of the ramp, based on evidence that it had been recently struck, as well as statements from managers. The department manager, Employee #1's direct supervisor, was in his office at the time of the incident. Cal/OSHA determined that the incident was caused by Employee #1 losing his balance, while operating the industrial truck. They decided to issue a general citation for the depression identified in the asphalt. However the citation was not classified as accident-related, because (1) the depression was not established to be the direct cause of the incident, based on its relatively shallow depth and (2) evidence indicated that the retaining curb may also have been struck.

Keywords: FRACTURE, RAMP, TORSO, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, FALL, LOST BALANCE, RUN OVER