THE DUFRESNE SPENCER GROUP LLC

Worker suffers injuries to foot when struck by order picker

At 10:30 p.m. on November 2, 2021, an employee was working as an equipment operator for a furniture store. He was working in a distribution center, a warehouse. He worked as a lift operator and unloader. He unloaded mobile carts of furniture for either onsite storage or offsite shipping. The incident in which he was injured involved two people: the employee, and the operator of a Crown order picker. The operator of the order picker worked for a temporary staffing employment agency. He had been assigned to work at the warehouse. The employee was unloading a mobile cart next to the control center at roll up door 213, where furniture was loaded and unloaded. Workers at the facility loading and unloading mobile carts worked near the order picker machines. The mobile work cart the employee was unloading was 8 ft (2.4 meters) long, 4 ft (1.2 meters) wide, and 15 in (380 mm) high. For some reason, the operator of the order picker and the employee did not clearly communicate whether it was appropriate for the operator to move the order picker. The operator moved the order picker before the employee was out of its path of travel. One of the order picker's guide wheels struck the employee's left foot near the toes. The employee's foot was lacerated, and the employee suffered a dual fracture of the left big toe. The employee was transported by emergency medical services to a local hospital. He was hospitalized. The employee was kept overnight for surgery to address the fracture, and he remained admitted for at least 24 hours post-op.