Inspection Detail
Inspection: 308617786 - Nacirema Environmental Services Co., Inc.
Inspection Information - Office: Hasbrouck Heights Area Office
Site Address:
Nacirema Environmental Services Co., Inc.
Route 46 Over Overpeck Creek Bridge
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
Mailing Address:
211-217 West 5th Street Po Box 183, Bayonne, NJ 07002
Union Status: Union
SIC:1795
NAICS: 238910/Site Preparation Contractors
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Complete
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 01/19/2006
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 08/25/2010
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 101380814 | ||
| Referral | 201389715 | Yes |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Current Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Initial Penalty | $2,100 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,100 |
| Current Penalty | $1,050 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,050 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001A | Serious | 19260350 A01 | 01/20/2006 | 01/25/2006 | $600 | $1,200 | $0 | 02/02/2006 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 2. | 01001B | Serious | 19260350 A09 | 01/20/2006 | 01/25/2006 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 02/02/2006 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 3. | 01001C | Serious | 19260350 A10 | 01/20/2006 | 01/25/2006 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 02/02/2006 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 4. | 01002A | Serious | 19260502 I03 | 01/20/2006 | 01/25/2006 | $450 | $900 | $0 | 02/02/2006 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 5. | 01002B | Serious | 19260502 I04 | 01/20/2006 | 01/25/2006 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 02/02/2006 | F - Formal Settlement |
Investigation Summary
On October 7, 2005, Employee #1, a welder, was killed when a steel section of a bridge component he was working on tipped and struck the employee in the head. Three coworkers two welders and one laborer were cutting up sections of a steel bridge. The bridge had been cut into sections to be moved with a gantry crane. The sections were then moved with the crane and landed next to the bridge for further cutting. Each section of the cut steel walkway had a steel railing, with the railing slightly passed 90 degrees vertical so each section sat in roughly an "L" shape, measuring 38" feet long, 6" feet high and 5" feet 9' inches wide, weighing approximately 2500 pounds. Each section had four 18' to 24' inch sections, called "porkchops" that had to be cut off in order for the sections to fit in a container for disposal. A coworker started cutting the porkchops to the south. The supervisor instructed another coworker to stand inside the cross member of the walkway section to the north while he trimmed the porkchops on that section. The supervisor later stated that he instructed Employee #1 to stand inside the cross member of the north section because the section to the south section would not have given Employee #1 any room to move if the excess pieces of the porkchops tipped over. Once the supervisor saw Employee #1 starting to work from the safe zone, the supervisor went to the east side of the bridge to set up the next task. The laborer was assisting the coworkers in cleaning the sections to be cut and adjusting the hose lines. The employees were using oxy-acetylene torches to cut the steel bridge. A coworker had just completed cutting the south section and was cleaning his tools when Employee #1 started cutting his second porkchop. At some point, employee #1 moved from behind the cross member and went between the north and south sections. A coworker stated that approximately five minutes after he completed cutting his section, the entire south section tipped over and fell into the north section. The coworker and the laborer were both standing to the west when the south section tipped over. Both employees stated that they did not see anything happen to cause the south section to tip over. Both employees saw that Employee #1 was struck in the head by the south section and caught between the north and south sections. The coworkers tried but could not lift the south section off of Employee #1. The supervisor called emergency services. Employee #1 was declared dead on the scene.
Keywords: FRACTURE, DEMOLITION, STEEL, UNSECURED, WELDER, CONSTRUCTION, WELDING, SKULL, BRIDGE, FALLING OBJECT
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 308617786 | Fatality | Fracture | Welders and cutters |
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