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Lumber company employee falls 48" from storage rack to his death.

Kentucky Department of Health Services

Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 98KY115, 1999 Aug; :1-4

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/ky/98ky115.html

20026401

In October 1998, a 58-year-old male truck driver/yard worker (the victim) died of traumatic head injuries when he fell 48" from a storage rack. The victim climbed onto the storage rack to retrieve 3/4" round molding, 8 feet in length for a customer. The victim was standing on pine boards that were stored on the middle row and was trying to retrieve molding being stored above (approximately 9 feet off the floor). After he cut the bundle string to release the individual molding pieces, he began to pull the pieces out horizontally. As the pieces were removed, he handed them to the customer to load into his truck. He apparently lost his balance, fell back and struck his head on the concrete floor. The customer had been arranging items in the back of his truck and did not see the victim fall. However, when he heard a thump, he turned around and found the victim laying face up on the concrete. The customer ran to find another employee to call 911 and then went back and stayed with the victim until EMS arrived. EMS arrived and transported the victim to the local hospital. After examination, the victim was air flighted to a major metropolitan hospital where he subsequently died. The cause of death was traumatic head injuries. In order to prevent similar incidents from occurring, FACE investigators recommend: 1. Employees should use ladders or moveable stairs when retrieving materials which cannot be reached from floor level. 2. A written policy should be developed regarding when ladders or moveable stairs are required and how they are to be used. 3. Employees should be trained about the policy and how to identify and address fall hazards in the workplace.

Accident-analysis; Accident-potential; Accident-prevention; Accidents; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Safety-education; Safety-equipment; Safety-practices; Traumatic-injuries; Region-4; Truck-drivers; Safety-measures; Work-practices; Ladders

19990809

Field Studies; Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation

Cooperative Agreement

1999

PB2011-100094

A01

FACE-98KY115; Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-CCU-409879

NAICS-44

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

KY; WV

Kentucky Department of Health Services