17 year old in forklift accident

[PeoplesElbow]

17-Year-Old Male Flown to Trauma Center After Fork-Lift Overturns On Top of Victim in Mechanicsville

On Monday, May 30, 2022, at approximately 1:20 p.m., fire and rescue personnel responded to the 41000 block of Oakville Road in Mechanicsville, for the reported subject trapped underneath a forklift.

smnewsnet.com

Why is a 17 year old operating a forklift? They are usually age restricted at businesses and many require certification. Also on the road?

 

[Gilligan]

I was operating very large farm machinery and grain trucks by age 14.....

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

I was operating very large farm machinery and grain trucks by age 14.....

Those were the old days. Being a commercial enterprise, I would wager someone from OSHA is on their way right now to Wentworths. With the possible fine and sanctions from OSHA, (18 years old being the legal minimum age at which someone can operate a fork lift), in addition to the possible lawsuit coming from the kids parents, and paying all the medical expenses, those perennials are about to get a bit more expensive. I wonder if Wentworths provided the proper block of instruction, (real world training), on the safe operation and maintaining a training log book, the do's and don'ts, of a driving and using a forklift? This could get very interesting.

 

[Ken King]

If I may ...


Those were the old days. Being a commercial enterprise, I would wager someone from OSHA is on their way right now to Wentworths. With the possible fine and sanctions from OSHA, (18 years old being the legal minimum age at which someone can operate a fork lift), in addition to the possible lawsuit coming from the kids parents, and paying all the medical expenses, those perennials are about to get a bit more expensive. I wonder if Wentworths provided the proper block of instruction, (real world training), on the safe operation and maintaining a training log book, the do's and don'ts, of a driving and using a forklift? This could get very interesting.

Would the operations at Wentworths be classified as agricultural in nature? If so, then 29 CFR 570.123 indicates that the restrictions on 16 to 18 year olds operating hazerdous equipment do not apply.

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

Would the operations at Wentworths be classified as agricultural in nature? If so, then 29 CFR 570.123 indicates that the restrictions on 16 to 18 year olds operating hazerdous equipment do not apply.

I doubt it since it's a commercial operation, (more so industrial), where the forklift can be utilized inside a building to bring things out or bring things in. Pretty sure that designation is for operation of equipment used for farming. Such as driving a tractor, tilling, using a baler, fertilizer sprayer, bush hogging, etc.. Plus, forklifts require a solid flat surface, (the one shown in the picture anyway), in which to operate, not in places like farms with dirt roads. Forklifts do not like being at right angles, sideways, which this kid found out by the look of the pictures.

 

[glhs837]

If I may ...


I wonder if Wentworths provided the proper block of instruction, (real world training), on the safe operation and maintaining a training log book, the do's and don'ts, of a driving and using a forklift? This could get very interesting.

While doing some stuff on base, there was a forklift course going on outside. I was licensed years back and the course was very minimal. This course I saw was very comprehensive, with cones and handling drills.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I was operating very large farm machinery and grain trucks by age 14.....

Was it a family farm or did someone hire you to do it? There were no child labor laws way back then anyway.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Hell at the grocery store you weren't allowed to put a cardboard box in the baler (let alone use it) unless you were 18.

 

[Grumpy]

I was operating very large farm machinery and grain trucks by age 14.....

Did you yoke the oxen by yourself?

 

[tuffenuff2]

When I was in Lowe's the other day it looked like a forklift had run into some drywall.

 

[vraiblonde]

17-Year-Old Male Flown to Trauma Center After Fork-Lift Overturns On Top of Victim in Mechanicsville

On Monday, May 30, 2022, at approximately 1:20 p.m., fire and rescue personnel responded to the 41000 block of Oakville Road in Mechanicsville, for the reported subject trapped underneath a forklift.

smnewsnet.com

Why is a 17 year old operating a forklift? They are usually age restricted at businesses and many require certification. Also on the road?

17 year olds operate machinery without incident all the time, and full grown adults have machinery accidents all the time.

Anyway, I hope he's okay.

 

[Kyle]

Did you yoke the oxen by yourself?

He even had his picture taken doing so.

 

[TPD]

After spending plenty of time around teenagers over the years on the farm, in the grocery store and hardware store, you get to know the ones that are responsible enough to operate machinery and those that are not. Sometimes I trust the teenager more than the adult. One of the labor laws I remember from my grocery store days was that anyone under 18 years old was not allowed in the walk-in freezers or coolers. We mainly hired teenagers for stocking so needless to say we didn't follow this rule. Try to keep a teenager out of the ice cream freezer when it's 95 degrees outside.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

17 year olds operate machinery without incident all the time, and full grown adults have machinery accidents all the time.

Anyway, I hope he's okay.

Understand that, but from my experience I know there are OSHA rules that prohibit similar things. Would you risk the bank account of your business simply to let someone under the permitted age operate said piece of equipment? Wentworth's could lose their business over this, I imaging their insurance would not pay out if they violated an OSHA rule.
First thought was the kid stole a forklift and wrecked it.

 

[Gilligan]

Was it a family farm or did someone hire you to do it? There were no child labor laws way back then anyway.

Both. I worked at the farm next door to ours from about age 13...the one next door was much larger than ours and paid me real money. I made exactly $1/hour but averaged 72-74 hours per week in the summer so I was rollin' in dough. ;-p

 

[Gilligan]

He even had his picture taken doing so.

posing for that shot was a bitch....took several days.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Hell at the grocery store you weren't allowed to put a cardboard box in the baler (let alone use it) unless you were 18.

That's been true for decades (as in at least 5). There have always been "farm kid" or "family business" exceptions. In this case I somewhat doubt either applies and goes under general OSHA and MD Department of Labor regulations.

Some of us were driving tractors on the road when we were eight or ten.

 

[GregV814]

Right here in Huntingtown is a young man that owns a PROFITABLE landscaping business. He has a diesel truck, a few 0 radius mowers and one Kubota(?) wheeled steer skid bucket. He has a few employees.

VERY responsible young man. I've recommended him to several people. Any man would be beaming to have him as a son.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

elaws - Fair Labor Standards Act Advisor

Replace the word

webapps.dol.gov

HO 7. Power-driven hoisting apparatus.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

He even had his picture taken doing so.

You can laugh at this or not, but when we moved to Calvert nearly forty years ago there were still a few farmers who used oxen or mules to plow, harvest, cut, etc. (and they weren't Amish).

Yes, we really ****ed this County up.