Ornamental iron installer dies when crushed by load that fell off forklift in California.
Source
NIOSH 1999 Sep; :1-4
Abstract
A 37-year old male ornamental iron installer leadman (decedent) died when he fell off the forks of a forklift and was crushed by its falling load. He and his co-workers were installing iron fencing sections that were eight feet high by ten feet long. They weighed two hundred and fifteen pounds each. In order to move the last five panels to be installed, they were loaded onto a forklift. The decedent was riding on the forks attempting to steady the load of iron fencing. When the forklift attempted to negotiate a muddy area the wheels sank and the forklift stopped abruptly. The decedent was thrown forward into a sitting position. The iron fencing was also thrown forward, striking him on the head and crushing him to the ground. The load was not secured to the forklift. The driver of the forklift was not trained in its operation. The employer's written Injury and Illness Program was not complete. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future occurrences, employers should as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP): 1. ensure employees do not ride on the forks of forklifts. 2. ensure employees are formally trained in the use of forklifts prior to being allowed to operate them. 3. ensure unstable or precarious loads are secured to forklifts before transporting them. 4. ensure employees do not drive forklifts over muddy or soft areas unless those areas are bridged or covered. 5. develop a complete Injury and Illness Prevention Program.
Keywords
Region-9; Accident-analysis; Accident-prevention; Accidents; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Traumatic-injuries; Work-operations; Work-analysis; Work-areas; Work-performance; Work-practices; Safety-education; Safety-equipment; Safety-measures; Safety-monitoring; Protective-measures; Protective-equipment; Personal-protection; Equipment-operators; Training; Safety-programs; Occupational-health-programs; Occupational-safety-programs; Construction-industry; Construction-equipment; Construction-workers
Document Type
Field Studies; Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
NTIS Accession No.
PB2007-111627
Identifying No.
FACE-99CA002; Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-CCU-907284
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Performing Organization
Public Health Institute
