Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305479867 - Bickerton Industries Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

On October 1, 2005, an employee, a maintenance mechanic, was found dead pinned between an overhead area light frame mounted along the production building's roof adjunct and the frame of an overhead bridge crane. The employer is a steel erector who, at this yard, employs approximately 50 unionized ironworkers and two mechanics, one of which was the employee. At this location and time, the employer was engaged in the loading of steel I-beams of a variety of widths and lengths from flat-bed freight trailers using the overhead crane involved in the accident. The crane was a pendant ground controlled crane, and the evidence indicated that the crane operator was located between two tractor loads. The crane operator reported moving the crane in an easterly direction to position the crane to attach a load. The interviews of witnesses found no percipient witnesses to the employee either accessing the elevated location via a scissor lift or to the impact event itself. Furthermore, testimonial evidence provided by first responding witnesses did not substantiate that either diagnostic tools or equipment were found either on the employee or in the general vicinity of the employee's location subsequent to the accident. Additionally, neither documentary evidence nor witness statements could logically and factually explain the reasons for the employee's presence at the location. The evidence therefore, is inconclusive as to the tasks that the employee was either attempting or engaged in prior to the accident.

Keywords: CRUSHED, BRIDGE, CRANE