Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001B 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 employees were exposed to the hazard of being injured by the failure of the wire rope for the Car Puller: (a)Rail car unloading site - On or about August 8, 1995, and at times prior thereto, employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by or injured by the wire rope and components of the rail car puller. The following deficiencies were noted: (1)The wire rope was damaged in several locations. The wire rope had the appearance of bird caging in some locations; the eyes were flatten, crushed with open and closed kinks and had evidence of wear damage; the wire rope had wear damage where the 5/8 inch wire rope was flattened out where it passed over approximately a 1 inch sheave; in one location 50of the wires in one strand were broke; in another location the wire rope failed from a tension break. (2)The 5/8 inch diameter wire rope was used with approximately a 1 inch sheave. In addition, the 5/8 inch diameter wire rope without defects would have a safety factor of less than (3)The wire rope was spliced on the take up drum. In addition, the spice was made with two live ends. (4)The eyes were formed with the wire rope without using a thimble; (5)The cable clips (U-bolts) were staggered with the U-bolt clamping down on the live end for the eye located on the west side. (6)The ends of wire rope did not have seizing wire or strand to prevent unraveling of the wire rope; (7)Only two U-bolts were used for the east eye. (8)U-bolts were not properly spaced. The eye on the west side had three Ubolts spaced approximately 1/2 inch apart. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS: (1)Inspect wire rope of a frequent basis. Wire rope to be taken out of service when defects render the wire rope unsafe. Maintain wire rope in accordance with wire rope manufacture recommendation. (2)Use wire rope only with the proper size sheave. According to various rigging manuals, a proper fitting sheave groove should support the rope over 135-150 degrees of rope circumference. When using wire rope for towing a safety factor of 3:1 is required. The minimun diameter to safely pull rail cars should be a 3/4 inch diameter wire rope. Ensure that the wire rope used and the sheave is always properly sized. (3)Do not splice where the wire rope will go over sheaves or be wound up on a take up drum. In addition, if splices are made where the wire rope will not be on a take up drum or go over sheaves, wire roped can be joined by the use of two connecting eyes with thimbles. (4)Constructing eyes without thimbles will result in the wire rope damage. The rope will flatten, crush and wear. (5)Follow various rigging manuals for proper installation of U-bolts. Never place the saddle on the dead end of the wire rope. If installed incorrectly the U-bolt damages the live end of the wire rope, and reduces the efficiency of the connection. (6)Prior to cutting wire rope it is important that all rope ends be tightly seized to prevent wires and strands from becoming slack with use. Follow wire rope manufactures instruction or various rigging manuals on proper method of seizing wire rope. (7)Use U-bolts in accordance with the wire rope manufactures recommendation, or follow various rigging manuals for guidance. The 5/8 inch wire rope used would require three drop forged U-bolts. (8)Use U-bolts in accordance with the wire rope manufactures recommendation, or follow various rigging manuals for guidance. The 5/8 inch wire rope used would require the U-bolts to be placed 4 inch apart. NOTE: The following is not intended to be a comprehensive list of resources. These resources can be used for proper utilization of wire rope: A.Handbook of Rigging for Construction and Industrial Operations, current edition. Published by McGraw-Hill Book Company. B.Rigging Manual, current edition. Published by Construction Safety Association of Ontario, 74 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 2A5 C.National Safety Council Data Sheets Recommended Loads for Wire Rope Slings (I-380-Rev.86) and Care and Inspection of Wire Rope (I-667-REAF.89) D.Manufacture recommendations for the wire rope purchased.