On May 29, 2007, after 1:00 PM, paralyzing news from Chorzów spread through the Polish logistics community and the entire country: in a warehouse used by the company Reporter Sp. z o.o., shelving units collapsed! (photos 1 and 2). Based on various press and internet sources, it was determined that 15 (the RMF FM radio website reported 20) out of 25 rows of frame shelving units, approximately 2.5 m high, on which clothing was stored, had collapsed. As a result of the accident, five people were injured, four of whom were released home after receiving treatment at the Chorzów hospital. The fifth victim, a 27-year-old woman in post-traumatic shock who sustained no physical injuries, was kept under observation. Approximately 250 people participated in the rescue operation, led by the commander of the Silesian Fire Brigade, Janusz Skulich. Representatives of the prosecutor’s office and the National Labour Inspectorate also arrived at the scene of the accident and began actions aimed at clarifying the causes of the disaster.
As is usually the case, the first row of collapsing shelves triggered a so-called domino effect, causing subsequent rows to fall. Based on information available in the press and on the Internet, it is difficult to determine the causes of the situation more precisely. Questions asked by the author to the user of the shelves remained unanswered. As reported on the RMF FM radio website, preliminary findings by the National Labour Inspectorate indicate that the shelves in question were either not properly secured or were used in a manner inconsistent with their intended purpose.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 3/2007.