Abstract: On September 9, 1988, Employee #1, the operator of crane #1, was moving steel next to crane #2. The operator of crane #3 was working in the area, on the other side of crane #2. Cranes #1, #2, and #3 were 40 ton capacity, cab-operated overhead bridge cranes being used in a 56 in. cold sheet mill. Crane #2, the middle crane, had been riding off its rails so it had been taken out of commission and set so that it could be pushed by the other cranes. Management had decided that whenever crane #2 had to be moved, it was to be sandwiched between two other cranes and moved under the direction of a supervisor. Crane #3's operator found that crane #2 was in his way and yelled to his stocker that he had to move crane #2. According to the operator, the stocker talked to Employee #1 and presumably asked her to help the operator of crane #3 move crane #2. Thinking that Employee #1 was ready to sandwich crane #2, crane #3 bumped crane #2, which bumped into crane #1. Employee #1 was not expecting to be bumped and her neck muscles were strained. There was no means of communication between crane #3 and crane #1 and their view of each other was blocked by crane #2. In addition, there was no supervisor present to direct the process.