OSHA cited a Georgia manufacturer after a forklift operator at its Marietta plant fell to his death while working on elevated storage racks.
The worker wasn’t wearing fall protection and fell 15 feet onto a concrete floor while attempting to move cabinets from the racks onto a pallet.
After he fell and hit the ground, the cabinets also fell, landing on top of him, according to a Department of Labor news release.
Co-workers found him under the cabinets and he was taken to the hospital, but died later the next day.
Fine: $167,933
Company: FBS Manufacturing, Atlanta, GA
Business: Lumber, plywood, millwork and wood panel merchant wholesalers
Reasons for fine:
One willful violation for failure to:
- ensure employees used fall protection while working on walking surfaces with unprotected edges 4 feet or more above lower levels
Eight serious violations for failure to:
- properly illuminate exit signs
- ensure powered industrial truck operators were properly trained
- take powered industrial trucks in need of repair out of service
- ensure industrial trucks were examined before being placed in service
- ensure outlet boxes had proper covers
- provide permanent paths to ground from electrical circuits, equipment and enclosures
- ensure flexible cords weren’t used to substitute for fixed wiring
- provide proper strain relief for flexible cords