WATKINS, INC.

OVERLOADED ELEVATOR FELL TO ELEVATOR PIT: NO EMPLOYEE INJURY

THE FIRM HELD A CONVENTION FOR THEIR PRODUCT DISTRIBUTORS IN A NEARBY TOWN DURIN G THE WEEK OF JUNE 15-19, 1987. APPROXIMATELY 800 PEOPLE WERE TAKEN BY BUS TO TO UR THE MANUFACTURING PLANT IN WINONA, MINNESOTA. THE PLANT HAS A TOTAL OF SEVEN FREIGHT ELEVATORS. ONE PERSON WAS ASSIGNED TO OPERATE EACH ELEVATOR. A UTILITY P ERSON WAS ASSIGNED TO THE #6 OTIS TRACTION FREIGHT ELEVATOR. A TOUR GROUP WAS TA KEN FROM THE THIRD FLOOR TO THE SIXTH FLOOR. THEY GOT BACK ONTO THE ELEVATOR AND STARTED TO DESCEND TO THE FOURTH FLOOR. WHEN THE ELEVATOR ACCIDENTLY PASSED THE FOURTH FLOOR, THE OPERATOR ATTEMPTED TO REASCEND TO THE FOURTH FLOOR. THE 3,400 POUND CAPACITY TRACTION ELEVATOR WOULD NOT LIFT THE LOAD AND DESCENDED INTO THE PIT. OF THE TWENTY NINE PEOPLE RIDING THE FREIGHT ELEVATOR, NINE WERE INJURED A ND THREE WERE HOPITALIZED. THE EMPLOYER PROVIDED A COMPLETE LIST OF NAMES, BUT W OULD NOT IDENTIFY WHICH WERE INJURED OR HOSPITALIZED. THE ELEVATOR SAFETIES WERE NOT ACTIVATED. A FULL LOAD SAFETY TEST WAS CONDUCTED IN 1985. ANNUAL MAINTENANC E WAS PERFORMED BY AN UNQUALIFIED EMPLOYEE OF THE COMPANY.