Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101645695 - Worthington Steel Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Cincinnati Area Office

Investigation Summary

A CRANE OPERATOR LIFTED A SCRAP BIN, USING A PENDANT CONTROLLED CRANE, AS ANOTHER EMPLOYEE (EMPLOYEE #1) EJECTED 2 MORE METAL SCRAP BALLS FROM THE STEEL SLITTING OPERATION INTO THE PIT LEFT BY THE REMOVAL OF THE SCRAP BIN. THE CRANE OPERATOR BEGAN TO SET DOWN THE BIN, AND ACTUALLY HAD IT ON THE GROUND, WHEN THE CRANE BROKE DOWN. AFTER THE CRANE WAS REPAIRED THE MAINTENANCE MAN TRIED IT OUT BY LIFTING AND LOWERING IT. HE FINALLY LOWERED THE SCRAP ONTO THE FLOOR. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER EMPLOYEE #1 UNHOOKED THE CRANE FROM THE BIN SO THEY COULD USE IT (THE CRANE) TO GET THE OTHER TWO SCRAP BALLS FROM THE PIT. WHEN EMPLOYEE #1 UNHOOKED THE CRANE HE LEFT THE LIFTING ARM UNLATCHED AND STANDING, RESTING AGAINST THE BACK STOP TABS. NOT REALIZING THAT THE LIFTING ARM WAS UNLATCHED, EMPLOYEE #1 BANDED UP THE SCRAP BALLS IN THE PIT. THE FIRST BALL WAS PLACED ON THE SEMI-TRAILER FOR SCRAP. THE SECOND BALL WOULD NOT CLEAR THE SIDE OF THE TRAILER WITHOUT TRIPPING THE UPPER LIMIT SWITCH. THE CRANE OPERATOR ASKED EMPLOYEE #1 TO HELP RE-HOOK TO THE SCRAP BIN SO THEY COULD REMOVE THE SECOND SCRAP BALL BY PLACING IT IN THE BIN. WHEN EMPLOYEE #1 CLIMBED ONTO THE SCRAP BIN HE GRABBED THE LIFTING ARM, CAUSING IT TO TOPPLE. THE LIFTING ARM KNOCKED EMPLOYEE #1 TO THE SIDE, THEN FELL ONTO HIM. HE WAS CRUSHED TO DEATH.

Keywords: WORK RULES, CRUSHED, CRANE, INATTENTION