Abstract: Late morning on January 17, 1989, Employee #1 was engaged in a railroad salvage operation. A derailed flat car was positioned for lifting with two side boom Caterpillars. Employee #1 entered approximately 2 feet of clear space between the derailed flat car and a Caterpillar. He engaged a #503 hook on the sill of the derailed flat car and, with hand signals, directed the slack to be taken out of the boom line attached to the #503 hook. When the operator removed the slack from the line, the derailed flat car moved toward the Caterpillar, effectively closing the clear space and crushing Employee #1. He died of internal abdominal injuries.