Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315317008 - R Mazza Masonry, Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

On February 13, 2012, an employee was standing in a wooden crate while lifting a rubber hose, full of grout material, to an elevated position on a nearby scaffold. The wooden crate was elevated by placing the wooden crate on the forks of a rented forklift. The wooden crate was not secured to the forks of the rented forklift. The hose was being manually carried by the employee while he stood in the wooden crate. The employee's position on the elevated wooden crate, in addition to the weight of the rubber hose full of grout, caused the elevated wooden crate to become unstable. This condition resulted in the employee falling off the crate and onto the ground below him. The employee's face impacted the surface on the ground. The wooden crate hit the ground near the employee and it tumbled onto the employee. The crate ended up resting on top of the lower half of the injured employee's body. The distance of the fall was 7 feet 6 inches. The height of the guard rail on the wooden crate that was used to elevate the injured employee was found to be 32 inches. The employee was taken to the hospital for emergency care. The employee died shortly after his arrival at the hospital. Due to the circumstances associated with this incident, the Division issued an accident related serious citation related to failure of the immediate employer to ensure that the wooden crate was secured to the forks of the forklift, in such a manner as to prevent the wooden crate from tipping over. Another accident related citation was issued concerning the height of the guard rail on the wooden crate. The height of the guard rail was measured to be 32 inches. The regulations required that the height of the guard rail on the wooden crate should have been 42 inches.

Keywords: GUARDRAIL, CRATE, HOSE, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, SCAFFOLD, UNSTABLE POSITION