Material Handler Dies When She is Crushed Against a Podium by a Backing Forklift, California

SUMMARY

A 35-year-old Hispanic female material handler died when a backing forklift crushed her against a podium that was anchored against a steel beam. The victim had exited a trailer parked at the warehouse dock and walked to the adjacent podium to enter loaded items onto the manifest. A forklift on the dock was moving pallets and was backing up and turning to the left when it crushed the victim against the podium. The forklift operator was not looking where he was backing at the time of the incident. The location of the podiums required the material handlers to have their backs to the activity on the dock. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future occurrences, employers, as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), should:

Material Handler Dies When She is Crushed Against a Podium by a Backing Forklift [PDF 347 KB]