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: On January 30, 1999, employees, who were erecting a 8' tall by 10' wide steel plate wall, were exposed to hazards resulting in multiple broken bones, internal injuries and possible death. While the yard foreman was securing the west end of the steel-plate wall to a 16" tall by 10' long, horizontal I-beam, the assistant foreman and a front-end loader operator attempted to straighten the east end, bottom corner that was bent. As the assistant foreman was heating the steel plate, the operator started to push on the bent portion of the wall with the front-end loader bucket. The pressure exerted on the steel plate by the front-end loader caused the welds to break and the wall collapsed, crushing the foreman and injuring the assistant foreman. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to control the hazard is to develop and implement written procedures for ensuring that safe work distances will be maintained, and that the operators of earth moving and materials handling equipment have a means to communicate with ground employees.