Inspection Detail

Inspection: 106966567 - Copestone Services Corp

Inspection Information - Office: Nashville Area Office

Investigation Summary

A crew of eight employees, including Employees #1 and #2, were loading bags of corn soy blend into a lash barge. The operation was supervised by a superintendent and the crew foreman. The crew consisted of a crane operator, a forklift operator, and a laborer working outside the barge on the loading dock and five laborers working inside the barge positioning the cargo. The loading was done with an Omi 15-ton bridge crane with an AS60 model hoist. An I-beam spreader bar constructed of 3/8 in. plate steel, 222 in. long by 21 in. high and weighing approximately 2,500 lb, was also used. The I-beam was outfitted with eight wire rope slings, which were 8 ft long and equipped with hooks. The cargo was 55 lb bags of corn soy blend lifted in groups of 320 using textile cargo slings. The approximate weight of each lift was 17,636 lb. The crew had successfully lifted several loads of cargo into the barge when they were directed to began removing the textile cargo slings from the loads. This was accomplished by unfastening the snap on the sling that secures around the cargo and attaching the spreader bar hooks on just one side. The crane operator then raises the hoist, pulling the cargo slings from the around the cargo. Employees #1 and #2 had successfully pulled one set of textile cargo slings and set the I-beam spreader bar up to remove another set of slings. The operation required that the employees position themselves under the I-beam spreader bar as they hooked up the textile cargo slings. Several crew members indicated that they heard a loud pop and saw the I-beam spreader bar rotating clockwise as it fell. The spreader bar came to rest atop Employee #1, crushing and killing him. The spreader bar also struck Employee #2 in the back of his head and torso as he attempted to run. He was killed. An investigation revealed that the crane had not been subjected to monthly or daily inspections as required and the supervisory personnel was not adequately trained.

Keywords: LONGSHORING, INADEQUATE MAINT, WORK RULES, STRUCK BY, SPREADER BAR, UNTRAINED, CRANE, UNSTABLE POSITION