OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14201883
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE
BALTIMORE, MD·
Event description
STRUCK IN BACK OF HEAD BY FALLING BOX
Investigation abstract
TRUCK LOADING IS ACCOMPLISHED AT THIS WORKSITE FROM 5 PM TO 2 AM DAILY. ABOUT 21 L ONTO EMPLOYEE #1, THE SUPERVISOR, WHO WAS AT HIS DESK, LOCATED BELOW AND NEXT TO THE CHUTE TO BAY 79. THE PACKAGE STRUCK HIM IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD, KNOCKING HIM TO THE FLOOR. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, KEPT OVERNIGHT, AND RELEASED TH E NEXT DAY. HE LOST A TOTAL OF EIGHT DAYS OF WORK. THE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY CHECK ED TO SEE IF THE SAME SITUATION EXISTED ELSEWHERE (DESK BY A CHUTE). THERE WERE NO OTHERS. THEY DECIDED TO EITHER MOVE THE DESK UNDER THE CHUTE FOR PROTECTION, OR TO MOVE THE DESK OUT OF THE LOADING AREA COMPLETELY. NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO BE WALKING IN THE LOADING AREA WHILE THE PACKAGES ARE BEING PROCESSED. ALL SAFETY DEVICES AND PRACTICES WERE IN USE AT THE TIME. NO VIOLATIONS WERE FOUND. ,000 PACKAGES ARE PROCESSED FOR SHIPPING. THE PACKAGES ARE PLACED ON A CONVEYOR WHICH PASSES SEVERAL "PICK OFF" STATIONS WHERE EMPLOYEES DIVERT THE PACKAGES TO THE APPROPRIATE LOADING BAY. BAY 79, WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, WAS IN TEMPORA RY USE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, AND HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR OVER A YEAR. ALSO, A NEW EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO BAY 79. HE BEGAN TO GET BEHIND IN STACKING TH E PACKAGES IN THE TRUCK, CAUSING A BACK-UP ON THE ROLLERS AND THE CHUTE INTO THE TRUCK. ONE PACKAGE CAME OFF THE CONVEYOR AND INTO THE CHUTE, KNOCKING ANOTHER 4 0 POUND PACKAGE UP AND OVER THE PROTECTIVE BARRIER AROUND THE CHUTE. THE BOX FEL
Victim
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 27 M
- Nature of injury
- 6
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 7
- Occupation code
- 883
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 6
- Task assigned
- 1
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