Wade v. Diamant Boart, Inc.

374 F. Supp. 2d 586, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11828, 2005 WL 1421539
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedJune 17, 2005
Docket3:01 CV 7229
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 374 F. Supp. 2d 586 (Wade v. Diamant Boart, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wade v. Diamant Boart, Inc., 374 F. Supp. 2d 586, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11828, 2005 WL 1421539 (N.D. Ohio 2005).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

KATZ, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on the motion of Defendant Diamant Boart, Inc. *587 (“Diamant Boart”) for summary judgment (Doc. No. 124), to which Plaintiff has filed a Response (Doc. No. 146), and Defendant, a Reply (Doc. No. 162). Also before the Court are Plaintiffs Motion to Strike Defendant’s Supplemental Initial Disclosure of Expert Witness (Doc. No. 136), to which Defendant has filed a Response (Doc. No. 137), and Plaintiff has filed a Reply (Doc. No. 138), and Defendant’s Motion to Preclude Use of Affidavit and/or Opinions and Testimony of Plaintiffs Liability Witness at Trial (Doc. No. 164). This Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332. For the reasons that follow, Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is granted. Plaintiffs Motion to Strike and Defendant’s Motion to Preclude are denied as moot.

Background

In 1995, Plaintiff Travis Wade started working as a concrete cutter for Concrete Cutting and Coring Services (“CCCS”), which is owned by Plaintiffs half-brother Brad Wade. Brad Wade taught Plaintiff how to maintain and grease the Cushion Cut 65 and Cushion Cut 35 concrete cutting saws the company used at the time, and Plaintiff eventually became the designated trainer of new employees. Brad Wade told Plaintiff to grease the bearings on the saws’ arbor shafts with the engine running and the saw blade turning. This became Plaintiffs practice.

CCCS bought a Quanta Q1200 walk-behind concrete cutting saw (“the Quanta”) from its manufacturer, Defendant Diamant Boart, in 1996. The saw came with a warning decal on the operator’s console, which is directly in front of the operator as he or she uses the saw. On the decal, the word “WARNING” first appears, in large, black, capital letters, between two triangles containing exclamation points, all set on a red or orange background. (Doc. No. 124, ex. 1, p. 1). Below that in black, capital letters, the decal states, “Failure to follow the warnings and instructions below may result in serious injury or death.” Id. The decal then contains a list of admonishments, including: “Read entire operator’s manual before' operating this machine. Understand all warnings, instructions, and controls. If you do not have an operator’s manual, call toll free ... “Machinery Hazard — Always keep all guards in place and in good condition. Always keep all parts of your body away from blade and all other moving parts”; and “Never operate this machine with the engine hood removed.” Id.

The Quanta also came with an operator’s manual (“the manual”). The manual states on the table of contents page, in capital letters next to a triangle containing an exclamation point, “Operators of this equipment must read and be familiar with the safety warnings. Failure to obey warnings may result in injury or death.” (Doc. No. 28, Ex. I, p. 2). The table of contents indicates that “safety warnings” appear on pages eight and nine, and that “maintenance” instructions appear on pages twenty-eight and twenty-nine, though they actually appear on pages twenty-five and twenty-six. Id. at 2, 25-26.

Page eight of the manual states, at the top, in capital letters, “Safety First!” Id. at 8. Below that, in a box and flanked by two triangles with exclamation points in them, are the words “Warning Do’s and Do Not’s.” Id. Below that, in capital letters, the manual states ‘Warning: Failure to comply with these warnings and operating instructions could result in, death or serious bodily injury.” Id. The listed “do’s” and “do not’s” include, “DO read this entire operator’s manual before operating this machine. Understand all warnings, instructions and controls.... DO keep all parts of your body away from the blade and all other moving parts.... DO *588 establish a training program for all operators of this machine.... DO NOT operate this machine unless you have read and understood this operator’s manual.... DO NOT operate this machine without the blade guard or other protective guards in place.... DO NOT work on this machine while the engine is running.” Id. at p. 8-9. (Emphasis added).

On page seventeen of the manual, under the heading “Scheduled Maintenance Quick Reference,” is a triangle containing an exclamation point and the warning: “ALWAYS park the machine on a level surface with the engine ‘OFF’ and the ignition switch set in the ‘OFF’ position before performing any maintenance.” Id. at 17. On page twenty-five, under the heading “Maintenance,” the manual reiterates this warning: “Before performing any maintenance, ALWAYS park the machine on a level surface with the Engine OFF and the Engine Start Switch in the “OFF” position.” Id. at 25. Immediately below this the manual describes the frequency and method of lubricating the bearings, including the blade shaft bearings. Id.

While Plaintiff read the warnings on the Quanta’s operator console, including the instruction to read the entire operator’s manual before using the machine, neither Plaintiff nor Brad Wade ever read the operator’s manual, and no one trained Plaintiff on the proper maintenance of the Quanta. Plaintiffs method of lubricating the Quanta’s arbor shaft bearings, a task he preformed daily, was to start the engine, open the engine hood, which folded open on hinges, climb into the hood and kneel on the inside of the hood grate, reach into the engine compartment while the engine was running, and grease the bearings using a grease gun. Plaintiff had just finished greasing the bearings in this manner on May 10, 1999, and was replacing a cap on the right side grease reservoir, moving slowly because there was a moving belt inches from his hand, when his hand or glove got caught in the belt. The belt drew Plaintiffs hand into the moving machinery, severing it.

At the Plaintiffs deposition, Defense counsel showed him a copy of the Quanta manual, which Plaintiff acknowledged was available in the CCCS office for him to read. Plaintiff acknowledged that the manual instructed users of the Quanta to lubricate the blade shaft bearings with the engine off, and warned them that failure to do so could result in death or serious injury. Finally, Plaintiff acknowledged that if he had turned off the engine before greasing the bearings, his injury would not have occurred.

Plaintiff claims the Quanta was defectively designed and that Diamant Boart failed to adequately warn Plaintiff of the dangers posed by the moving belts. Plaintiff has sued Diamant Boart on theories of breach of implied warranty, strict liability in tort, violation of Ohio’s product liability statute, and negligence. Plaintiff also seeks exemplary and punitive damages. Defendant moves for summary on Plaintiffs claims on the grounds that the Quanta is not defective in design, that its warnings were adequate, that any defect in the Quanta or negligence by Diamant Boart did not proximately cause of Plaintiffs injuries, and that Plaintiff assumed the risk of injury. Diamant Boart also argues that it did not show a flagrant disregard for Plaintiffs safety and that punitive damages are therefore inappropriate.

Discussion

A.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
374 F. Supp. 2d 586, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11828, 2005 WL 1421539, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wade-v-diamant-boart-inc-ohnd-2005.