Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) for Wisconsin: Crew Leader Crushed When Forklift Load Carrier Falls from Forklift

摘要

A 32-year-old male crew leader (the victim) died after a forklift load carrier with a shop made attachment fell from the forklift as he was passing underneath it. The victim was working with the forklift operator and four other co-workers in the yard of an asphalt equipment manufacturing company where the forklift was being used to lift one end of a large silo. The company had equipped the forklift with a commercially-manufactured load carrier and a shop made bracket fitted with a square pipe. The pipe was placed inside the silo, then the forks were raised to about 12 feet until one end of the silo was lifted off the ground. The loader operator had shifted the loader to neutral when the victim started to walk under the load carrier and bracket to measure the silo. The load carrier and bracket suddenly fell from the forklift and struck the victim. The co-workers removed the pieces of equipment from the victim, saw that he was seriously injured, and called for emergency services. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The FACE investigator concluded that, to prevent similar occurrences, employers should: (1) Use appropriate equipment, such as a crane, when lifting heavy and massive objects. (2) Obtain and follow forklift manufacturers' recommendations for attaching and using modified equipment.