WORKING UNDER A RAISED LOAD Multiple Injuries THE INCIDENT A 39-year-old Trade Assistant suffered a fractured leg, ribs and vertebrae while working beneath a raised load suspended from the tines of a forklift truck during November 1996. The injured person was remounting a pump on a piece of drilling rig equipment weighing 1.75 tons which had been raised 1200 mm above the ground by a forklift. There were no supports in place to cradle the load. The load fell onto the man while he was working beneath the load trying to position and tighten a mounting bolt. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS 1. The worker was working beneath the suspended load and applying lateral forces to the load. 2. The 2.9-meter-wide load was suspended on forklift tines and not secured to resist any lateral loads. 3. The use of support stands was considered but none with adequate strength were readily available. 4. Supervision of the work method utilized was inadequate