Ahern Rentals Inc: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Sep 8, 2010: Employee's leg is fractured when struck by falling tire

On September 8, 2010, Employee #1, a heavy equipment mechanic, was working at an industrial equipment rental company. He was changing a tire on an Xtreme Manufa cturing, Model Number XRM 1045, aerial device, Serial Number33327. The tire weig hed approximately 800 pounds, and he was rolling the tire towards the front of t he equipment when it began to wobble. He tried to prevent the tire from falling over, and it landed on his left leg as it fell. Employee #1 was hospitalized wit h a fractured leg.

Incident on May 15, 2008: Employee's leg is lacerated when pinned by backing truck

At approximately 12:00 noon on May 15, 2008, Employee #1 was a painter. He and a supervisor were spotting and guiding a tractor trailer being backed into a prep booth area. Employee #1 was at the rear of the trailer as the driver was backin g the trailer into the booth. The supervisor heard the trailer crash into some g arbage cans and heard Employee #1 scream. Employee #1 was pinned between the cor ner of the trailer bed and the wall. Employee #1 was hospitalized at San Jose Re gional Medical Center for five days for treatment of a severe laceration to his right upper thigh.

Incident on Sep 30, 2004: Employee injured when caught between scissor lift and truck

At approximately 2:17 p.m. on September 30, 2004, Employee #1, a heavy equipment delivery driver for an equipment rental company, loaded two scissor lifts onto a flat-bed trailer at a jobsite. While lifting the loading ramp Employee #1 real ized that there was not enough room between the ramp and the trailer bed to rais e the ramp in the full upright position. The employee went to the front lift to drive it closer to the front of the trailer. Employee #1 stood between the sciss or lift and the front portion of the trailer. The scissor lifts have a control b ox that allows their operation from outside the scissor lift. He activated the s witch to move the lift forward. The lift struck and pinned Employee #1 between t he lift and the front portion of the trailer bed, fracturing his lower legs. Emp loyee #1 was transported to West Hills Hospital where he was hospitalized.

Incident on Mar 25, 2003: Employee descending ladder looses balance and fractures leg

At approximately 11:45 a.m. on March 25, 2003, an equipment-transport truck driv er working for Ahern Rentals, Inc was picking up a scissor lift from a construct ion site. After the truck driver loaded the large scissor lift onto a low-bed tr uck trailer, he descended the ladder through the exit gate. A hinge on the ladde r broke and as he fell backward he got his leg caught in the ladder. The local f ire department paramedics provided first aid before the injured employee was tra nsported to U.C. Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. He was hospital ized for three days with a compound fracture of the lower left leg and a head in jury.