Warehouse Employee Suffers Significant Injuries in Forklift Accident

Case Overview

This case involves a man who was injured working in the warehouse of a major producer of commercial baking ingredients. At the time of the incident in question, the plaintiff was employed as a subcontractor at the warehouse facility, and was tasked with the installation of new lights on the warehouse ceiling. In order to access the roof, the plaintiff’s firm had erected scaffolding approximation 20 feet high off of the warehouse floor. The plaintiff had been working with a large impact drill, for which he had run a long extension cord down the scaffolding to a power source on the warehouse floor. At some point, the extension cord was run over by a forklift, pulling the plaintiff off of the scaffolding and down to the warehouse floor. As a result of the fall, the plaintiff suffered extensive and permanent injuries.

Questions to the Occupational Health and Safety expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your experience working in warehouse safety.

I possess specific experience dealing with warehouse safety issues. As an occupational safety consultant, I have inspected numerous client facilities that include warehouses. Examples of the types of warehouses I have inspected include, but are not limited to: food, manufacturing, mechanical parts, chemicals, and fertilizer storage facilities.

What background do you have dealing with subcontractor protocols and forklift operations?

I also have specific background dealing with subcontractor protocols and forklift operations. Since 2005, I have been hired by major energy companies to audit their contractors and subcontractors. I've audited over 1,000 contractors in my career. With regard to forklift operations, I have specific experience with auditing forklift programs, developing written forklift programs, and training personnel in the safe use of forklifts.

About the expert

This certified safety professional has extensive experience in Louisiana with construction, petro-chemical, utilities, fossil fuel, nuclear, oil and gas, and manufacturing industries. He has experience directing safety programs for heavy industrial companies by providing supervisory oversight of safety management system development and implementation. He has conducted hundreds of EHS management system audits based on performance standards such as SEMS, PSM, ANSI Z-10, OSHAS 18001, and NACD Responsible Distribution Process Verification (RDPV). He completed his degree in occupational safety and health management from Southeastern Louisiana University. As a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, he previously served as the president of the Greater Baton Rouge Chapter and currently holds a leadership position at the state level.

E-056993

Specialties:

Occupational Health and Safety