Nebraska company fined by OSHA after forklift hauling baby chickens leads to man's death

https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/nebraska-company-fined-by-osha-after-forklift-hauling-baby-chickens-leads-to-mans-death/article_6e81927d-7d05-5196-8ed6-0ceb260fa984.html

WILLIAM SWETT York News-Times Aug 15, 2024 Updated 1 hr ago

BENEDICT, Neb. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the Hat Creek Express transportation company $5,162 after its uncertified forklift operator accidentally killed a worker in Benedict in March.

The incident occurred while the company’s forklift operator was delivering 96 crates of baby chickens to a barn at Bobcat Farm in Benedict, according to documents provided by OSHA in response to a records request.

The crates obstructed the forklift operator’s forward view, preventing the driver from seeing the two workers in front of him.

Ponciano Nimaja-Gutierrez, 24, was killed when he stepped into the path of the forklift. The driver, who was looking up to check overhead clearance, did not see Nimaja-Gutierrez in the path of the forklift.

FULL story at link.



This image shows the forklift operations at the Hat Creek Express transportation company with the driver traveling with an obstructed load facing forward. The rectangles with “7c” indicate material that was redacted by OSHA in response to the York News-Times’ records request.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION