Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300869351 - Diversified Metal Works

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

On November 17, 2008, Employee #1 was a union journeyman steel connector working for a steel erection contractor at a public school construction site. He was on a field beam at the north end of building B, ready to cut a choker loose from a crane. He cleared the choker, and the crane hook started going up. As it did, the choker caught on a bolt of the beam. A radio operator signaled for the crane operator to stop, and the operator disengaged the crane's clutch. Suddenly, the eye of the choker slipped off the shear connection plate, causing the beam to flex and bounce. The sudden movement of the beam threw Employee #1 from the beam. He fell 14 feet, 5 inches to the ground and fractured both wrists. He was hospitalized for four days. Two contributing factors to the accident were that Employee #1 failed to clear the choker completely from any part of the beam and that the radio operator did not respond properly when the choker became caught on a bolt.

Keywords: FRACTURE, STEEL BEAM, VIBRATIONS, STEEL CONNECTOR, STEEL ERECTION, CHOKER CABLE, FALL, LOST BALANCE, CHOKER, WRIST