Abstract: At approximately 11:30 a.m. on August 7, 2002, Employee #1 was working in the shipping department of a steel company. Employee #1 was preparing a group of pipe for shipment to a customer. The pipe was in a rack and Employee #1 had brought the crane boom over to the rack. Employee #1 lowered the boom into place above the pipe so that slings could be placed around the pipe. The pipe would then be lifted and moved to a section for banding. According to the only witness, Employee #1 was sitting on the edge of the rack and was in the process of reaching under the pipe to grab the sling that was to go around the bundle of pipe. The witness then passed by and walked approximately 8 ft when he heard a crash. The witness turned and saw the boom sitting on a guardrail at the end of the rack system and as he looked down the line he saw Employee #1 crushed between the boom and the stack of pipe. The pipe was 2.5-in. by 0.25-in. by 20-ft long. Employee #1 was face down on the pipe with his left hand above his head and his right hand on the pipe next to the crane controller. The controller is a radio frequency controller that uses toggle switches to operate the crane. The boom was lifted off Employee #1 and help was summoned. Employee #1 was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. It is not known if Employee #1 slipped and hit the toggle to lower the crane accidently or if he was trying to lower the crane to grab the sling and misjudged the distance. The crane was inspected after the accident and no defects were found that could have caused the accident.