Inspection Detail

Inspection: 105594097 - Weyher Brothers Co

Inspection Information - Office: Utah Division Of Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR WAS USING A GALION CRANE (MODEL NO. 150A, SERIAL NO. 7746) TO MOVE A CONCRETE BRIDGE ALONG A VIADUCT. THE LOAD BEGAN TO SWAY, SO TWO EMPLOYEES ON THE GROUND GRABBED ONTO THE WIRE ROPE TO STABILIZE THE LOAD. ONE OF THE TWO EMPLOYEES WAS ON THE LEFT, AND ONE WAS ON THE RIGHT. AS THEY MOVED ALONG THE VIADUCT, THE EMPLOYEE ON THE LEFT LET GO OF THE WIRE ROPE TO TALK TO SOMEONE. THE CRANE OPERATOR CONTINUED MOVING THE CRANE WITH HIS EYES ON THE LOAD. THE CRANE CONTACTED A 12-KILOVOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE. (THE OPERATOR LATER STATED THAT HE HAD NOT CONSIDERED THE POWER LINES WHEN MOVING THE CRANE.) THE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS STILL HOLDING THE WIRE ROPE RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND FELL DOWN, TWITCHING BUT STILL CONSCIOUS. THE CRANE STALLED, AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. THE OPERATOR STILL DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE CRANE WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE OVERHEAD LINE. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE ON THE GROUND SAW HIS INJURED COWORKER AND SAW ARCING UNDER THE CRANE. HE THEN RAN AND YELLED TO THE CRANE OPERATOR TO BACK UP THE CRANE, EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE ARCING. IN FACT, AT THE TIME, THE CRANE OPERATOR AND THE PROJECT SUPERINTENDENT ALSO DID NOT KNOW OF THE CONTACT WITH THE POWER LINE. THE CRANE WAS BACKED UP THREE FEET FROM THE POWER LINES, AND IT REMAINED THERE UNTIL THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. THE INJURED EMPLOYEE WAS HOSPITALIZED.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, BOOM, CRANE BOOM, E C, ELECTRIC SHOCK, CRANE