Racking Collapse Kills Spotter After Damage Went Unchecked

A spotter working inside a large building materials retail store was fatally crushed when a section of pallet racking collapsed in a tile storage area. The victim, a warehouse employee whose name was not publicly released, was standing in a narrow aisle assisting a reach truck operator with a load of ceramic tile, mortar, and grout when the steel frame beside him suddenly buckled. Investigators found that the racking system had visible damage—a bent 1×3 inch frame section between knee and waist height—which had been noticed and reported to a supervisor about 30 minutes […]