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 free from recognized hazards that were causing, or likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to employees. On or about October 17, 2005 at a construction site located at and/or near the southwest corner of Teel Parkway & High Shoals in Frisco, TX, the employer failed to implement adequate measures/procedures to ensure that personnel working near and or in close proximity of earth moving equipment, i.e., a Caterpillar 345C Excavator, were accounted for prior to the movement of the machine and/or its related components., i.e., boom/bucket. A worker installing an 8-inch water line in a trench approximately 4.5 feet deep was fatally injured when he was crushed/struck-by the bucket/boom assembly of the excavator and pinned against the side wall of the trench. Among other means, some feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard are: 1.Develop and effectively implement procedures to ensure that all personnel working near moving equipment are accounted for and positioned a safe distance away from the danger area of the machine and its related components prior to allowing it to be moved. 2.Develop a written job hazard analysis on the safe work practices of installing pipes/utilities in trenches/excavations and to include the roles and responsibilities of those individuals involved in this process. 3.Develop a method(s) that would effectively allow employees to remain in constant contact with one another during the installation of underground utilities and/or other various operations, more importantly in areas and/or instances where visual and oral communication is difficult and/or obsolete. 4.Appoint a safety monitor/signalman during the process of installing underground utilities to ensure workers do not access the work area and that all personnel are positioned a safe distance away from the danger area of the machine and its related components prior to allowing a machine to be moved. 5.Develop and implement signals that are consistent and understood by all personnel and that only one signalman is utilized at a time. In the event there is a transfer from one signalman to another, this action needs to be understood by all parties involved, including the original person giving the hand signals.