Inspection Detail

Inspection: 122057862 - Buckeye Steel Castings Dba Bsc Newco, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Columbus Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, a ladle crane operator at a foundry, was preparing to board the crane at the beginning of the second shift. The first shift operator saw him walking along the catwalk used to access the crane and, after finishing his pour, attempted to line up the back of the cab's boarding platform with one of the catwalk's boarding stations. When the operator left the cab of the crane to see if he was lined up properly with the boarding station, he heard Employee #1 calling for help. The first shift operator saw him lying on the steps leading from the crane's boarding platform to a lower platform on the crane used to access the ladder to the cab. Employee #1 had been crushed between the boarding platform and a steel beam on the catwalk. Subsequent investigation revealed that employees often boarded the cranes without notifying the current operator, and that the company did not have a written program or provide training on a safe method to board cranes. The company had been cited the previous year for a similar type of accident when an electrical maintenance employee attempted to board this same ladle crane and became caught between the back of the crane and a steel beam. At the time of this accident, a policy had still not been finalized, training had not been provided, and confusion existed among employees, supervisors, and management as to proper boarding procedures. In addition, the crane rails at this boarding station area were not level. The crane would drift as much as 13 ft if the operator left the cab and did not stick a large, cut-off bolt between the brake pedal and the floor. This was not a manufacturer-approved device or method of operation.

Keywords: UNSECURED, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, MECH MAT HANDLING, CRANE OPERATOR, UNTRAINED, COMMUNICATION, CRANE