Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123292336 - Connecticut Precast Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Bridgeport Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:30 a.m. on October 1, 2002, Employee #1, a fork lift operator, and two laborers, were assigned to remove cured concrete from the metal forms. The first cured concrete piece removed was a lock down concrete piece. The Employee #1 obtained the large yellow fork lift and attached a small spreader to the fork lift attachment. The two laborers then attached two separate alloy steel chain slings to each end of the spreader and one to the center of the spreader. The lock down concrete mold was located at the south side of the concrete slab on the south side of the production building west of the bay door. Employee #1 positioned the powered industrial truck on the south side of the lock down mold and the two laborers attached the center alloy steel chain to the core located in the center of the mold. Using the fork lift, Employee #1 lifted the core out of the center mold. The core was lowered onto one corner of the mold and the chain was released from the core. Both laborers then lifted the core and set it off to the side of the mold. The two laborers then attached the two side spreader alloy steel chain slings to each side of the concrete mold. The mold was lifted with the powered industrial truck, which caused the mold to flip so that the concrete filled side would then be facing the ground. Once the mold flipped, Employee #1 then lowered the lock down mold onto the ground. The two laborers using sledge hammers would tap or bang the four pins located on the long side of the mold which would loosen the pins and allow the laborers to remove them. Once the pins were removed, Employee #1 lifted the mold 6-12 inches above the ground, which caused the pre-cast concrete to fall out onto the ground. When the mold was empty, Employee #1 lifted the mold up enough to allow the mold to flip back over and then set it on the ground where the laborers replaced the core into the mold. The lock down mold was left on the ground at the south side of the concrete slab. After the lock down pre-cast concrete structure was removed from its mold, the standard Double Type 2 catch basin curb top needed to be removed from its mold. Employee #1, with the assistance of the two laborers, changed the current spreader beam on the powered industrial truck for a larger one. He then positioned the powered industrial truck on the south side of the catch basin curb top with the spreader over the center of the basin. There were two alloy steel chain slings on the outside ends of the spreader. According to Employee #1, the cores were already removed and left on top of the concrete catch basin form. The two laborers moved the cores from the top of the catch basin to a location on the ground so that they would not interfere with the flipping of the mold. The laborers then attached the chain slings to the short sides of the concrete mold. Employee #1 then lifted the mold up so that the mold was 3-4 feet above the ground. The mold then started to flip but stopped when it had rotated 3/4 of the way over. The laborers attempted to assist the mold by pulling up on the mold but were not successful. Then, Employee #1 applied the brake, shut off the powered industrial truck and got out of the machine. He then attempted to push down on the mold in order for it to flip the remaining 1/4 turn. While attempting to push down, the concrete fell out of the mold striking Employee #1 on his lower abdomen, which pushed him back landing on his legs. The concrete pinned Employee #1 to the ground. Another powered industrial truck was brought over to the incident location and used to lift the concrete double catch basin curb top up enough to pull Employee #1 out. Medical assistance was called and Employee #1 was taken to Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Keywords: FRACTURE, ABDOMEN, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, STRUCK BY, CONCRETE, LEG