KNOX LUMBER CO.

EMPLOYEE STRUCK AND KILLED BY FALLING SHEETROCK

EMPLOYEE #1 (A LUMBER YARD EMPLOYEE) WAS PREPARING A DISPLAY OF 2 UNITS (80 SHEE TS) OF SHEETROCK. AN AUTHORIZED FORKLIFT OPERATOR WAS INSTRUCTED TO BRING A FORK LIFT TO THE STORAGE/DISPLAY AREA TO MOVE THE MATERIAL FROM STORAGE HEIGHT (APPRO X. 132") TO GROUND LEVEL. WHILE THE LOAD OF SHEETROCK WAS SUSPENDED OVERHEAD, EM PLOYEE #1 MOVED UNDER THE LOAD TO PLACE SPACERS ON THE GROUND FOR PLACEMENT OF T HE SHEETS. THERE WAS A SUDDEN FAILURE IN THE WELD OF THE ATTACHMENT CLEAT ON THE LEFT FORK, CAUSING ALL OF THE SUSPENDED MATERIAL (WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 4960 P OUNDS) TO FALL ONTO EMPLOYEE #1. HE WAS CRUSHED TO DEATH.