Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CRUSHING

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that: Workers, while preforming pile-driving operations on steel i beams 30' in length x 10"x10"x0.5", using a lima 80 ton-rated crawler crane and a gravity fall pine driver, were subjected to the hazards of broken bones, amputations, lacerations, crushing, and possibly death when the ground around the pile driven was flooded and washed out and the workers were required to work in close proximity to the pile driver. The crane was required to be repositioned repeatly to restore vertical alignment of the pile driver and the pile being driven. The four workers were re- quired and ordered to place their hands directly on the lower structure members of the pile driver frame and to exert direct manual force. The pile driver hammer was elevated and suspended for a drop. The crane's control lever for the hammer was not rendered inoperable while the crane operator used other controls to repostition the crane, boom, and pile- driving hammer. The hazards to workers involved in the driving of piles can be averted by a program including, but not limited to: 1. Develop a formal plan for the driving of the piles. The plan shall include safety, environment, yarding of materials, pre-driving inspection of the site, set-up of the pile driver, and emergency stop provi- sions. It shall be clearly established under what conditions work shall be stopped. 2. Use a crane equippied with two rigid horizontal spreader beams that extend between the base of the boom crane, and that are attached near the bottom of the suspended pile driver. The combination of the crane boom and the spreaders are expected to materially increase the stability of the pile driver and minimize crew involvement in the positioning of the pile driver over the being set and driven. 3. Clearly instruct the crane operator to render the crane control that releases the hammer weight in- operable when the crane, boom, and/or pile drivers are being positioned over a piling, and when workers are involved in the repositioning of the pile driver, clamps, grab bars, and template. 4. When working in rain, wet, or flooding conditions, pump surface water out of the immediate area where the piles are being driven. Stablize the soil in the area. Fill in holes and depressions, if ne- cessary. If the soil is excessively soft and muddy, use crushed stone, slag, or similar materials to allow the workers safe footing. 5. Provide and use ropes, rigging, chains, etc., between the base of the pile driver and the ground. Before the pile is driven, use a maul to drive stakes into the ground at the four corners of the pile location. The pile driver can then be moved into place and rigg- ing between the base of the pile driver frame and the posts can be used to help hold the pile driver in place. If workers hold the rigging line ends, they shall be expected to be no closer than four feet from the pile driver. 6. Use a knowledgeable employer representative that has full "on-the'site, decision-making" authority. If the conditions in no. 1 through No. 5 cannot be maintained, the work shall be suspended until the required safe conditions can be re-established.