Inspection Detail

Inspection: 3306545 - C. W. Wright Construction Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Va-E-Manassas (Regional Office)- Safety 0355114

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXIMATELY 9 AM ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1986, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS USING A MODEL PM 201 "POLE-MASTER" AS A TRUCK CRANE, ATTEMPTING TO UNLOAD A 5 FOOT CLAM BUCKET FROM A TRUCK PARKED BESIDE IT. THE CLAM BUCKET WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 3515 LBS., WELL WITHIN THE CRANE'S CAPACITY. THE CRANE WAS RATED AT 9500 POUNDS. THE CRANE WAS SET UP ON SOFT, UNSTABLE GROUND (THERE WAS SOME STANDING WATER AT THE SITE). BOTH OF THE CRANE'S OUTRIGGERS WERE DOWN, BUT THERE WAS NO PAD UNDER THE LEFT OUTRIGGER AND ONLY A 19 INCH LONG 4 BY 4 UNDER THE RIGHT OUTRIGGER. THE CLAMBUCKET WAS ATTACHED TO THE LOADLINE. EMPLOYEE #1 TOLD THE TRUCK DRIVER TO PULL HIS TRUCK OUT FROM UNDER THE BUCKET AS SOON AS IT WAS LIFTED OFF THE TRUCK BED. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS OPERATING THE CRANE CONTROLS FROM A POSITION NEXT TO THE LOADED TRUCK. WHEN THE TRUCK MOVED FORWARD ABOUT TEN OR TWELVE FEET THE RIGHT OUTRIGGER SANK INTO THE SOFT GROUND. THE CRANE TILTED TOWARD THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK, PINNING EMPLOYEE #1 BETWEEN THE 2 VEHICLES. HE SUFFERED A BROKEN JAW, CRUSHED RIGHT HAND, 4 OR 5 BROKEN RIBS ON HIS RIGHT SIDE AND COLLAPSED LUNGS. THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE INSTALLATION OF AN INSUFFICIENT PAD UNDER THE RIGHT OUTRIGGER, AND THE FACT THAT THE OPERATION WAS ATTEMPTED AN UNSTABLE SOIL SURFACE. THERE WAS AN APPARENT LACK OF PROPER TRAINING BY THE EMPLOYER.

Keywords: FRACTURE, LUNG, CRANE OUTRIGGER, PINNED, CONSTRUCTION, CRUSHED, RIB, UNSTABLE SOIL, UNTRAINED, CRANE