Inspection Detail

Inspection: 102829884 - Thrall Car Manufacturing Company

Inspection Information - Office: Atlanta East Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:45 p.m. on June 14, 1989, Employee #1 was welding on the bed of a flat railroad car, which was locked into position. A job built pneumatic clamp device was used to hold work into position. The clamp device was built like a gantry crane with the pneumatic jacks mounted in place of crane unit. The jacks were activated, causing the gantry frame to lift upwards on the rails. Rail clamps had been on both sides of the wheels beneath the rails, but due to a previous wreck the rail clamps hand been removed from the inside of each wheel. The uplift action on the rail clamps overpowered the capacity of a clamp and overturned the frame, which crushed and killed Employee #1.

Keywords: RAILROAD CAR, WELDING, CRUSHED, STRUCK BY, CRANE, OVERTURN