Inspection Detail

Inspection: 15190796 - Neil F Lampson Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Utah Division Of Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 AND ANOTHER EMPLOYER WERE PREPARING TO STEAM CLEAN AND TOUCH UP THE PAINT ON A MANITOWOC 4000 CRANE. THE BOOM WAS THREADED WITH 1 1/8 INCH WIRE ROPE WITH ONLY THE TWO OUTSIDE SHEAVES (OF THE SIX AVAILABLE) UTILIZED ON THE 3300 POUND BLOCK. THE BLOCK WAS RESTING ON THE GROUND WITH ITS SIDE DOWN. AN EMPLOYEE OF THE LEASEE HAD BEEN SOLICITED TO OPERATE THE CRANE. THE BOOM WAS RAISED AND THEN THE BLOCK. EMPLOYEE #1, WHO WAS STANDING NEAR THE BOOM END, HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE AS THE BLOCK WAS BEING LIFTED. HE MOTIONED THE OPERATOR TO LOWER THE BOOM AND THE BLOCK. THE BOOM WAS LOWERED TO A HORIZOTAL POSITION WITH THE BLOCK ON THE GROUND. THE OPERATOR WAS AGAIN SIGNALED TO BOOM UP AND RAISE THE BLOCK. THIS TIME EMPLOYEE #1 WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE WIRE ROPE AND BLOCK SHEAVE. WHEN THE BLOCK WAS RAISED FROM A SIDE-DOWN POSITION, THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS SUCH THAT THE BLOCK WAS RAISED IN AN ANGULAR POSITION. AFTER THE BLOCK HUNG FOR A WHILE, THE WIRE ROPE SNAPPED INTO THE SHEAVES AND ADJUSTED ITSELF TO VERTICAL. THE ROPE HAD BOUND ON THE RIGHT ANGLE EDGE OF THE STRUCTURAL SIDE MEMBER. THE MISALIGNED CONDITION WAS NOT UNCOMMON. EMPLOYEE #1 SAID THAT HE ALWAYS HAD A STICK WITH WHICH TO STRIKE THE WIRE ROPE BACK TO ALIGNMENT FROM THE BOUND EDGE. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, HE HAD APPARENTLY PUT HIS HAND ON THE WIRE ROPE, BUT COULDN'T REMEMBER WHY. MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE OPERATOR AND EMPLOYEE #1. AT FIRST EMPLOYEE #1 SAID HE WAS SURE THAT THE BLOCK WAS IN A TRUE VERTICAL POSITION AND THAT THE BLOCK AND/OR WIRE ROPE SUDDENLY MOVED CATCHING HIS FINGERS. STATEMENTS FROM THE OPERATOR CONTRADICTED EMPLOYEE #1. THE OPERATOR STATED THAT HE HAD LONG BEEN TRAINED NOT TO MOVE THE BOOM OR BLOCK WITHOUT PROPER SIGNAL. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH EMPLOYEE #1, HE CONCEEDED THAT THE BLOCK MAY HAVE BEEN AT AN ANGLE.

Keywords: WIRE ROPE, FINGER, WORK RULES, CLEANING, CAUGHT BY, CRANE BLOCK, CRANE, INATTENTION