Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1483323.015 - The Schaefer Group, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Cincinnati Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 8:00 a.m. on July 11, 2020, two employees were in the process of flipping over an industrial furnace lid weighing three tons. The lid was initially on the ground upside down so that white refractory material could be inserted in to the underside. The employees were using a 5-ton overhead Demag crane to lift the furnace lid, place it right-side up and then lift and place it on top of the adjacent furnace body. The rigging used to attach the lid to the crane was a wire rope, eye, and eye sling attached to a ? ton 5/8 inch shackle using a basket hitch. The shackle was connected to a Ken Forging, Inc. 5/8 inch shouldered eyebolt with a 2 inch shank. The eyebolt was attached to the outer flange of the furnace lid using a washer and nut. One minute after the lid was suspended vertically, both employees knelt down next to the topside of the lid. At that point, the eyebolt broke and the lid dropped from the crane and fell on top of both employees. One employee was trapped underneath the lid for a few seconds and the other was able to roll out from under the lid. Both employees suffered serious unspecified injuries, requiring hospitalization.

Keywords: Blunt force trauma, Crushed, Equipment Failure, Falling Object, Overhead Crane, Rigging, Shackle, Struck By