Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200963072 - Employee injured in fall when aerial lift boom fails

Accident Summary Nr: 200963072 -- Report ID: 0352410 -- Event Date: 08/02/1999
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
302882139	08/02/1999	1799	0	Triangle Sign And Service, Inc.

Abstract: Employee #1 was using a 1997 aerial lift and extensible boom, serial # 635397, mounted on a 1998 Ford truck, MD plate #203-E36, USDOT 326485, to remove old letters and install new ones on a 13 ft high non-illuminated sign. He elevated his platform to a height of 8 ft and was directly above a stairway system, drilling holes in the sign, when the boom partially failed at its attachment point. Two long bolts and the hydraulic hoses were left intact and prevented the complete displacement of the lift platform. Employee #1, who was using a harness and lanyard attachment, fell onto the guardrail system of the stairway and suffered contusions and other injuries to his torso, for which he was hospitalized. The company had an inspection program for this equipment, consisting of daily visual inspections as well as monthly comprehensive inspections. Visual inspections would not have revealed the fracture that occurred to the 5/16 in. thick steel attachment ears at the boom's end, where attachments are seated before being bolted in place. The company had never removed this lift attachment, and the crack was found to have oxidized significantly. The aerial lift had a bracket that fit over the ears of the boom tip, which covered the rust. When the ears failed, the only points securing the boom to the lift were two, 2 in. long by 1/2 in. diameter bolts, and the hydraulic hoses. The equipment had been used for less than 2,000 hours of service.

Keywords: BOOM, CONSTRUCTION, TORSO, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, FALL, TRUCK BOOM, AERIAL LIFT, CONTUSION

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Commercial building		Alteration or rehabilitation		Under $50,000	1	8

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	302882139			Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Construction trades, n.e.c.	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Fencing, installing lights, signs, etc. Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure

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