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News
Release No.: 2017-27 Date:
April 17, 2017
Cal/OSHA Cites Building Supply Company for Fatal
Forklift Accident
San Francisco—Cal/OSHA
today cited Good View Roofing & Building Supply Corporation $62,320 for
multiple serious accident-related safety violations following an
investigation of a fatal forklift accident in San Francisco.
On
November 21, 2016, a 60-year-old forklift operator was transferring building
supplies from the company’s warehouse to a customer’s vehicle. When the
forklift descended a sloped ramp, a bag of mortar mix fell off of the load
and blocked the front right wheel. The operator reversed the forklift to free
the bag of mortar and while doing so, turned the steering wheel so that the
back wheel went over the edge of the ramp, tipping the five-ton forklift
over. The worker attempted to jump out of the cab and was fatally crushed by
the forklift.
“This
incident could have been prevented had the employer effectively evaluated the
workplace for hazards, which would have identified the unguarded edge of the
ramp that exposed the forklift to tipping,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum.
“The worker should have been properly trained to stay seated with the seatbelt
fastened in the event of a tip over.”
The six violations cited
in Cal/OSHA’s investigation included three classified as serious
accident-related, one serious, one regulatory and one general. The serious
accident-related violations were cited for the company’s failure to ensure:
The
serious violation was cited for the employer’s failure to inspect and
identify hazards in the workplace, provide written safety instruction on
industrial trucks in a language readily understandable by all of the workers,
and for failure to ensure that all affected workers comply with the forklift
safety requirements at the worksite. A serious violation is cited when there
is a realistic possibility that death or serious harm could result from the
actual hazardous condition.
Forklift
safety requirements are summarized on page 65 of Cal/OSHA’s
Pocket Guide for the Construction Industry.
Cal/OSHA
helps protect workers from safety and health hazards on the job in almost
every workplace in California. Cal/OSHA’s Consultation
Services Branch provides free and voluntary assistance to employers to
improve their safety and health programs. Employers should call (800)
963-9424 for assistance from Cal/OSHA Consultation Services. Cal/OSHA has
also published a wealth of helpful
guides for employers and workers.
Employees
with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR’s Call Center in
English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734). The California Workers’
Information line at 866-924-9757 provides recorded information in English and
Spanish on a variety of work-related topics. Complaints can also be filed
confidentially with Cal/OSHA
district offices.
Members
of the press may contact Peter Melton or Frank Polizzi at (510) 286-1161, and
are encouraged to subscribe
to get email alerts on DIR’s press releases or other departmental
updates.
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The
California Department of
Industrial Relations,
established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic
well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply
with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general
inquiries, contact DIR’s Communications Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR
(844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.
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