Inspection Detail

Inspection: 960040.015 - Stubbs Heating And Cooling

Inspection Information - Office: Jackson Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 2:30 p.m. on February 22, 2014, an employee was holding a tag line during the unloading of a septic treatment plant from a truck equipped with a crane. The employees were on site to install a septic treatment plant at a business that was replacing a smaller septic tank. The excavation had been dug and the truck carrying the septic tank got stuck in soft soil when attempting to get into position to place the treatment plant in the excavation directly across from the truck. A backhoe was brought to the site to pull the truck out of the mud and into the desired position. The attempt to free the truck failed. The employer decided to unload the treatment plant near the excavation in hopes that with less weight on the truck the backhoe would be able to free the truck. The employer used the crane mounted on the truck to unload the tank. There were overhead power lines the employer had to avoid contacting during this process. A spotter was used to watch the boom. Due to the presence of the power lines the angle of the crane's boom was low. The employee was holding a tag line and was positioned between the truck and the treatment plant. Witnesses state that the plant was approximately 1.5 feet above the ground when the crane failed. The employee was struck on the head by the boom. Emergency response was called to the site and the emplyee was pronounced dead at the site. Fractured skull. Truck mounted crane.

Keywords: Boom, Boom Truck, Crane, Head, Power Lines, Struck By