Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100339902 - Superior Rigging & Erecting Company

Inspection Information - Office: Atlanta East Area Office

Investigation Summary

A 20 TON HYDRAULIC TRUCK CRANE WAS SENT BY CRANE RENTAL SERVICE TO HANDLE THE TASK OF MOVING A 26,000 POUND REINFORCED CONCRETE HOLDING TANK. THE FINAL PART OF THE JOB WAS THE LOWERING OF THE TANK INTO A 20 FOOT DEEP EXCAVATION. THE CRANE WAS POSITIONED AS CLOSE TO THE EXCAVATION AS POSSIBLE, WITH 4 BY 4 TIMBERS PLACED UNDER THE OUTRIGGERS TO SPREAD THE LOADING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE TANK WAS POSITIONED OVER THE EXCAVATION AND LOWERED ABOUT HALF THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM. THE SIGNALMEN INDICATED TO THE CRANE OPERATOR THAT THE LOAD HAD TO BE EXTENDED ABOUT ANOTHER FOOT TO CLEAR THE SIDEWALL. AS THE OPERATOR (EMPLOYEE #1) EXTENDED THE BOOM, THE CRANE SUDDENLY FLIPPED OVER BACKWARDS. EMPLOYEE #1 JUMPED FROM THE CRANE CAB, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THE CRANE AS IT FELL BACK TO THE GROUND. HE WAS STRUCK AND CRUSHED TO DEATH BY THE FALLING CRANE.

Keywords: TRUCK CRANE, STRUCK BY, OVERTURN, CRUSHED, FALLING OBJECT, CRANE, UNSTABLE POSITION