Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1441733.015 - Graham Packaging Company, Lp

Inspection Information - Office: Naperville Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 7:30 p.m. on October 22, 2019, an employee was working as a 2nd shift forklift operator for a plastics bottle manufacturer. The employee was driving a Caterpillar #2 Model EC25EN2 Counterbalanced Sit-down Electric forklift returning to the production lines after dropping off a load in the warehouse. The employee was sitting in the operator's seat of the moving forklift and reported wearing his seat belt. He was looking forward in the direction of travel until he momentarily looked away from the path of travel. He had his left hand on the steering wheel and his right hand was on the control levers. He stated he looked away to visually scan the production lines when he noticed that one line had two labeled pallets ready for pickup and transfer to the warehouse. Just then the employee collided with a structural vertical column located across from the dock door. The forks carriage made contact with the column and forcefully stopped the PIV's motion causing the employee to lurch forward. The employee struck his forehead against a protruding end of a mounting screw for the PIV's overhead center light fixture bracket. Since there was no load being carried at the time there was nothing obstructing the operator's vision. There were no direct eyewitnesses and no surveillance video. The employee was wearing all required personal protective equipment, notably a head bump cap. The employee fractured his skull resulting in a loose bone chip and experienced mild brain bleeding and a forehead skin laceration. A coworker drove the employee to a local urgent care clinic which was closed, so the coworker then proceeded to a nearby hospital emergency room. Later that night, the employee was transferred by ambulance to a Medical Center for specialized care. The employee underwent a neurosurgery on October 23, 2019 and was initially hospitalized in the intensive care unit until October 24, 2019. He remained hospitalized for observation until he was release on October 29, 2019.

Keywords: Abrasion, Brain Bleed, Collision, Column, Contusion, Distracted, Distracted driving, Forehead, Fracture, Head, Laceration, Material Handling, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Motor Vehicle, Powered Industrial Vehicle, Screw, Skull, Steel Column, Struck Against, Work Surface