Ardenbrook, Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on May 11, 2021: Employee amputates finger when caught in tommy liftgate rail

At approximately 11:45 a.m. on May 11, 2021, an employee was standing in the bed of a flatbed truck and resting a hand on the rail of a Tommy Liftgate. The liftgate was raised, catching the employee's left ring finger between the rail and the platform, resulting in a partial amputation of the finger. The employee was hospitalized at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, CA. The Division was notified on May 11, 2021, and arrived onsite on May 13, 2021. The investigation determined that the employee had not been trained on the safe operation of liftgates and was unaware of the pinch points associated with the equipment. The Division also found that the company was not following the manufacturer's specifications for securing loads being raised with the Tommy Liftgate.