Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314753989 - National Steel And Ship Building Co

Inspection Information - Office: High Hazard Unit - South

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:29 p.m. on October 29, 2010, Employee #1, a mechanic, was assigned to replace the bearings on crane 507, which was being operated by a coworker. Employee #1 drove a scooter/burden carrier, Taylor Dunn, Nassco Identification number: SC029, to the Wheelabrator area and asked the coworker to put the base of the crane down to make sure it was level so that he could change the bearings. Employee #1 parked the scooter back from the area to see if the base was level. It was not level, so he left to get four 12-inch by 12-inch wooden blocks to level the base. He drove to Table 11 to get the blocks. Table 11 was 150 feet away from the Wheelabrator area. After Employee #1 picked up the blocks, he put them in the scooter and was driving back towards the crane. At this time, the sunset was in front of him. As he was coming back, there was a yellow cross member in front of him, which was 52 inches from the ground. The cross member was between two supports for the electrical assembly/trolley for the transfer cart at the Wheelabrator. The sun blinded him, and he did not see the cross member in time. He saw the pipe and tried to grab it with his hands to stop the scooter. He was driving in an area that was not a designated roadway. He was holding his radio at mid-chest level and the pipe hit the radio and pushed it into his sternum. The coworker, who was in the cab, saw Employee #1 drive back, veer to the left, and go underneath the cross member. Employee #1 sustained a tear in his esophagus and a fractured sternum. He was hospitalized for seven days.

Keywords: CHEST, THROAT, FRACTURE, MAINTENANCE, MECHANIC, CROSSARM, BEARING, STRUCK BY, CRANE