UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

On May 27, 2004, Employee #1 and two coworkers were installing a sewer manhole at a construction site. The operation consisted of installing three concrete pieces of piping in the manhole inside an excavation. The first piece of concrete pipe, which was 4-ft high by 36-in. in diameter was connected to a truck crane by the concrete company and was lowered into the excavation. One coworker was located inside a lateral pipe, which was connected to the manhole base. The other coworker and Employee #1 were waiting outside the excavation until the piece was lowered close enough to the base, to go in and align it over the manhole base. Before the second piece of shafting was lowered into the excavation, the two coworkers applied mastic to the top of the first piece of shafting, and moved back, while the crane lowered the second piece. The second piece was a 2 ft by 36 in. in diameter pipe, into the hole. When the pipe was close enough to the existing shaft, the two coworkers moved closer to the shaft, so they could align the pipe on top. They then applied mastic to the top of the pipe and moved back away from the shafting. The crane lowered the third piece of pipe, which was a 3-ft-high cone-shaped piece. When the cone was lowered close to the top of the second piece of pipe, the other coworker and Employee #1 moved closer to the shafting and positioned themselves, so they could align the cone shaft over the second piece of shafting. Suddenly, the lifting device, which was a "shaped" steel bar located inside the cone, fell off and the cone fell off too. The coworker on the left side of the shafting was able to get out of the way. Unfortunately, the cone fell toward the right side onto Employee #1's lower leg, when he was trying to get out of the excavation. Employee #1 was pinned against the side of the excavation, with the cone on his lower leg. He sustained four fractures in his pelvis. He also injured his stomach, back, and right leg. The crane operator and the coworker were able to move the cone a bit, so Employee #1 could pull his leg out. He was helped to get out of the excavation and he was taken to Henry Mayo Hospital, where he was hospitalized for five weeks.