A worker was injured Wednesday at shipping company Railex's cold-storage facility near Wallula after he was trapped by a forklift about 4:30 p.m.

The worker's left leg was pinned by the dual-wheel steering system of the battery-powered forklift, said Chief Mike Wickstrom of Walla Walla Fire District 5.

Railex employees were keeping the worker warm and already had moved jacks into position to move the forklift, Wickstrom said. They had waited for the five paramedics and firefighters from the fire department to arrive because of concerns about the worker's possible injuries.

"The Railex staff did a great job," he said.

Wickstrom said employees were able to slide the worker out from underneath the forklift. He was conscious and alert, he said.

The worker was transported to Richland's Kadlec Medical Center with nonlife-threatening injuries, he said. Pasco Fire Department met Walla Walla Fire District 5 at the Snake River bridge so a Pasco medic could assist the worker.