Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for California: A Laborer Dies When He is Struck By an Exploding Forklift Multi-Piece Rim

摘要

A 27-year-old laborer died when a forklift multi-piece rim exploded as he was changing the tire. The victim was an employee of an employment agency assigned to work at a tile manufacturing company as a general laborer. The supervisor in the tile manufacturing company who assigned the victim the task of changing the tires was not aware of the hazards or proper procedures for changing tires on multi-piece rims. The employment agency was unaware that the tasks assigned to their general laborers at this company included changing tires on multi-piece rims. The victim had not received adequate training on changing tires on multi-piece rims. The victim, along with a co-worker, assembled the rim with a new tire and tube and inflated the tube when they noticed the tube was pinched between the two pieces of the rim. The rim exploded when they began to disassemble the rim before deflating the tube. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future incidents, manufacturers who hire laborers from employment agencies should ensure that: (1) Laborers are not assigned skilled tasks such as changing tires on multi-piece rims. (2) Employment agencies are notified of changes in work assignments of their employees. (3) A job hazard analysis is performed by a competent person trained and qualified to recognize safety hazards.