US Department of Labor finds lack of training, other failures led forklift operator to suffer fatal injuries at Elm Mott tire distribution facility

FORT WORTH, TX – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation revealed that proper workplace safety training and correct storage of pallets taller than 16 feet could have prevented the fatal injuries suffered by a forklift operator at a tire distribution center in Elm Mott.

Responding to the June 2024 incident at Mitchell Industrial Tire Co. Inc.’s distribution center, inspectors with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found widespread safety failures that exposed dozens of employees to potentially serious and deadly injuries. 

OSHA inspectors learned the forklift operator was struck by a falling pallet of industrial truck tires after the pallet’s three-tier rack storage system failed. The system’s vertical supports were damaged and the horizontal beam locks were missing. The company was cited for 12 violations, including failing to properly train forklift drivers and improperly storing unbanded pallets higher than 16-feet. 

Mitchell Industrial Tire faces $288,299 in proposed penalties.

“Neglecting to train forklift operators properly can lead to devastating consequences, as seen at Mitchell Industrial Tire,” said OSHA Area Director Timothy Minor in Fort Worth, Texas. “The company must comply with safety requirements to protect workers from the many hazards present in warehouses and manufacturing facilities, in line with industry best practices and federal regulations designed to prevent serious injuries and fatalities.”

Founded in 1953, Mitchell Industrial Tire Co. Inc. manufactures solid tires for the material handling industry at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, facility and has three U.S. distribution centers. 

Mitchell Industrial Tire has 15 business days from receipt of citation and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

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