Inspection Detail

Inspection: 104542006 - Henkel Construction Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

FOUR EMPLOYEES WERE MOVING METAL CONCRETE FORMS WITH A BANTEM S-688 HYDRAULIC TRUCK CRANE. THE JOBSITE SUPERINTENDENT MOVED THE CRANE INTO POSITION ON THE SOUTH END OF THE SITE. TWO EMPLOYEES ATTACHED THE FORMS TO THE LOAD LINE OF THE 20-TON CRANE WITH TWO WIRE ROPE SLINGS AND TWO NYLON SLINGS. ONE OF THESE TWO EMPLOYEES THEN ACTED AS THE SIGNALMAN FOR THE CRANE OPERATOR (THE SUPERINTENDENT), WHO WAS TO MOVE THE FORMS TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE SITE. HOWEVER, THE SIGNALMAN'S VIEW OF THE OPERATION WAS BLOCKED BY AN 8-FOOT-HIGH PILE OF DIRT BETWEEN THE CRANE AND THE CONCRETE FORMS. THE REMAINING TWO EMPLOYEES GUIDED THE FORMS TOWARD THEIR DESTINATION WITH THEIR HANDS. THE SIGNALMAN WAS SITTING ON THIS PILE OF DIRT AND COULD NOT SEE THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE CRANE'S LOAD LINE AND SOME OVERHEAD POWER LINES LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE SITE. HE DESCENDED THE PILE AND WENT SOME STEPS TOWARD THE WEST SIDE OF THE SITE. ONCE THERE, HE COULD SEE THAT THE FORMS AND LOAD LINE WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE POWER LINES. HE RUSHED TO THE FORMS IN AN ATTEMPT TO PUSH THE THEM AWAY FROM THE POWER LINES, SIGNALING THE CRANE OPERATOR TO MOVE THE LOAD AWAY AS WELL. HOWEVER, AS THE LOAD WAS LIFTED, THE CRANE CONTACTED ONE OF THE POWER LINES. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES HANDLING THE LOAD WAS ELECTROCUTED; THE OTHER TWO (INCLUDING THE SIGNALMAN) RECEIVED ELECTRIC SHOCKS AND BURNS FOR WHICH THEY WERE HOSPITALIZED.

Keywords: BURN, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, SIGNALMAN, TRUCK CRANE, ELECTROCUTED, E C, ELECTRIC SHOCK, LOAD LINE, CRANE