Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: STRUCK BY

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina: The employer did not furnish to each of his employees conditions of 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 employees were exposed to a struck by falling object hazard: a)jobsite, for employees working around a Komatsu PC400LC tracked excavator installed with a Smartloc Coupler Hydraulic Kit, a visual inspection checking the coupler to verify it was securely attached was not conducted. On September 16, 2008, an employee was injured when he was struck by a bucket attachment that separated from the arm of the Komatsu excavator which was using a Smartloc Coupler Hydraulic Kit. Among other methods, one feasible method to correct this hazard would to be to follow the Smartloc Coupler Hydraulic Kit Manufacturer's recommendations and visually check the coupler to verify it is securely attached.