“A 58-year-old Hispanic lumberyard worker died on March 30, 2012, from crushing injuries received when a forklift driven by a coworker struck him. The lumberyard laborer was walking from his work area to the employee lunchroom. At the same time, and in the same area, a coworker was operating a forklift that was loaded with lumber. The forklift operator’s field of vision was limited because he was transporting the lumber “load-forward” and the load partially obscured his view. He did not see the laborer but stopped when he felt the forklift roll over something. He exited the cab and found the laborer unresponsive, lying near the left side of the forklift. The laborer was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner identified head and thoracic injuries as the cause of death.” —NIOSH FACE
This unfortunate incident is not Process Safety related, but MANY NH3 processes are located in Cold Storages and Food plants that have MANY forklifts. If YOU work in such a place, please share this information with your co-workers and Occupational Safety team. Hopefully, sharing it can serve as a reminder that you shouldn’t drive forklifts with an obstructed view.
