OSHA opened an investigation July 23, and found Hixson Lumber Company LLC allowed the teen to operate a forklift when the worker was not certified to do so.
Inspectors learned the young worker had dropped the forklift’s key after parking the motorized device. As the worker searched for the key, the forklift rolled and struck the teenager who was assigned to pull and count lumber, and unsupervised at the time of the incident.
Following its investigation, OSHA cited the company for one willful and four serious violations saying Hixson Lumber Company failed to train the teen worker, left keys inside unsecured forklifts, and did not make sure the forklift used by the teenager had a proper parking brake, working horn and backup alarm as required.
OSHA proposed $218,759 in penalties.
“A family, his friends and co-workers are left to mourn a young man whose life was cut short because his employer failed to follow safety requirements that would have prevented this tragedy,” said OSHA Area Director Kia McCullough in Little Rock, Arkansas. “Hixson Lumber Company did not meet its legal responsibility to ensure that hazardous equipment was maintained, and that only trained and certified workers are allowed operate forklifts.”
Founded in 1959, the Carrollton-based lumber company has 750 workers, with 19 sawmills and retail locations in eight states, including Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.