Accident: 200610012 - Killed When Struck By Forklift

Employee #1 was close to a Hyster forklift that was moving a 58 3/4 in. high by 66 in. long by 54 in wide wire basket pallet loaded with scrap metal and topped by a wooden pallet. The load was raised 21 in. above ground level in the front and 17.5 in. in the rear. The operator made a blind left turn without sounding his horn, and struck Employee #1 with the wire basket pallet. He was knocked to the ground, went under the load and forks, and was pushed approximately 3 to 6 ft by the bottom of the forklift carriage. Employee #1 sustained fractured ribs and a severely lacerated liver. He was transported to the hospital, where he died between one-half and two hours later. The operator could not see properly in the direction of travel with the forklift load raised, and he was traveling forward instead of with the load trailing. In addition, the load and load engaging means were not adjusted close to the ground surface.

industrial truck, horn, obstructed view, ind trk operator, struck by, dragged, mech mat handling, laceration, liver, work rules

Accident: 170763007 - Struck By Forklift, Leg Later Amputated

On September 26, 1995, Employee #1 and a coworker were walking toward Employee #1's work station. According to witnesses, another coworker was simultaneously operating an electric forklift in reverse. He apparently did not see the two walking and struck Employee #1. As a result of the accident, a portion of her right leg had to be amputated. The forklift driver stated that he was looking over his shoulder as he was traveling in reverse, and that he did not sound the horn because the forklift was equipped with an operable back-up alarm. Causal factors related to this accident: (1) The forklift operator apparently was not looking in the direction of travel, and moved the forklift before being certain that the area was clear; and (2) The back-up alarm was not audible above the normal industrial noise in the area and therefore did not adequately warn Employee #1 or her coworker of the approaching forklift. In fact, a witness to the accident did not hear the alarm and neither did Employee #1 or her coworker. The forklift driver agreed that the alarm worked but was not very loud.

struck by, backing up, noise, leg, industrial truck, back-up alarm, work rules, amputated, clearance, horn

Accident: 170883870 - Foot Fractured When Hit By Forklift

At approximately 9:00 a.m. on March 19, 1995, Employee #1 was in the meat department, pushing a loaded pallet jack south when a coworker drove a forklift east through a nearby door. The forklift hit the pallet jack and Employee #1, causing fractures to his left foot. He was hospitalized for two days at the Santa Marta Hospital, Los Angeles. Causal factors include the fact that the forklift driver was operating the equipment without an effective warning horn and without the guidance of a walking operator. The five elements of the Independent Employee Act defense were met. The employer was cited for a regulatory violation of failure to immediately notify the division, 8CCR 342(a).

work rules, fracture, industrial truck, foot, struck by, signalman, horn

Accident: 170354427 - Run Over By Tomato Harvester

At 3:30 a.m. on September 30, 1993, Employee #1 was cleaning weeds from under an FMC tomato harvester. He was run over when the operator started the harvester. The operator did not check underneath and around the harvester before starting and did not sound the horn to warn personnel, as required by the operator's manual.

agriculture, cleaning, harvester, inattention, work rules, horn