Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311860068 - Jr Krauss Ltd

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

On March 19, 2008, Employee #1, a welder, was fabricating a 5,000 lb gravel sorter, known as a Grizzly, which was 9 ft tall by 10 ft long by 8 ft wide. The Grizzly was fabricated not by raising it off the shop floor, but by turning and rolling it via an overhead chain hoist. During its fabrication, Employee #1 welded different surfaces of the Grizzly. He controlled the Grizzly's position with a double wrap of the chain because it could fall forward or backward if not held in place with the chain hoist. The lower end of the tension chain was equipped with a hook used to secure the load once the chain was wrapped around the Grizzly and then hooked onto the chain above the load. In this way, the load could be rotated via the hoist and without the chain slipping off the load. At one point in the fabrication process, the Grizzly was rolled into a position where its irregular shape allowed the tension chain to be loose enough that the hook disengaged. When the hook disengaged, it caused the Grizzly to fall. The Grizzly struck Employee #1's foot and caused severe and unspecified crushing foot injuries. He was transported to a medical center, where he underwent treatment and was hospitalized.

Keywords: CRUSHED, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, FOOT, UNSTABLE LOAD, UNSTABLE POSITION