OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #998641
KNOX LUMBER CO.
HOPKINS, MN·
Event description
EMPLOYEE STRUCK AND KILLED BY FALLING SHEETROCK
Investigation abstract
EMPLOYEE #1 (A LUMBER YARD EMPLOYEE) WAS PREPARING A DISPLAY OF 2 UNITS (80 SHEE TS) OF SHEETROCK. AN AUTHORIZED FORKLIFT OPERATOR WAS INSTRUCTED TO BRING A FORK LIFT TO THE STORAGE/DISPLAY AREA TO MOVE THE MATERIAL FROM STORAGE HEIGHT (APPRO X. 132") TO GROUND LEVEL. WHILE THE LOAD OF SHEETROCK WAS SUSPENDED OVERHEAD, EM PLOYEE #1 MOVED UNDER THE LOAD TO PLACE SPACERS ON THE GROUND FOR PLACEMENT OF T HE SHEETS. THERE WAS A SUDDEN FAILURE IN THE WELD OF THE ATTACHMENT CLEAT ON THE LEFT FORK, CAUSING ALL OF THE SUSPENDED MATERIAL (WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 4960 P OUNDS) TO FALL ONTO EMPLOYEE #1. HE WAS CRUSHED TO DEATH.
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 20 M
- Nature of injury
- 12
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 27
- Occupation code
- 268
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 6
- Task assigned
- 1
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