Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313379307 - Parsec Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:30 p.m. on August 7, 2009, Employee #1 was assisting a crane operator, the accident witness, in moving a 53-foot container on top of another container, at Track 117. Employee #1 locked the "IBC" (apparently intermediate bulk container) and began walking towards the well car ladder, while holding onto the grounding bar. He had placed both hands in between the containers to sustain his balance. The crane operator lost sight of Employee #1 and assumed he had already climbed off the well car. When the crane operator began raising the east end of the container, the container tilted and crushed Employee #1's right hand in between it and the other container. Employee #1's finger was apparently amputated, and he was hospitalized. The Division determined that the accident was caused by both Employee #1 and the crane operator failing to follow standard operating procedures. Employee #1 should not have placed his hands in between the containers at any time, and the crane operator should not have moved the crane until he could see that Employee #1 had cleared the well car. The Division did not issue a citation to the employer.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, OBSTRUCTED VIEW, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CONTAINERIZED CARGO, CRANE