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Construction Laborer Died When Struck by an Excavator Bucket that Detached from a Quick Coupler \u2014 California
No full textOn August 3, 2021, a 54-year-old Hispanic construction laborer was struck by an excavator bucket that detached from a quick coupler that was attached to the boom. The crew was installing an underground storm drainage system on a residential street. The victim was in the trench when the excavator operator swung the boom over the trench to continue digging. The bucket detached from the quick coupler and struck the victim below, killing him. The California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (CA/FACE) program investigator determined that, in order to prevent similar incidents, construction companies that operate excavators should: 1) Establish procedures that will ensure workers are not working within the excavator boom swing radius or beneath an elevated load. 2) Ensure that operators maintain and inspect quick couplers to prevent malfunctions that may cause an unintended release of the excavator's bucket.Cooperative Agreemen
Forestry worker in vehicle killed from timber falling activity
Get PDFOn November 4, 2014 a 55-yearold log quality specialist employed by a timber leasing organization was killed when her vehicle was struck by a tree that was cut by a faller. This occurred within an active logging area that included cable yarding at the southeast end of the unit, and active timber falling at the northwest end of the unit. The faller was working at the northwest end and uphill from the road (see illustration at right). A single cable flagger associated with the cable yarding at the southeast end allowed the log quality specialist to drive under the cable and proceed northwest. Shortly after she passed under the cable she was met by the owner of the logging company who was driving from the northwest end toward the southeast end of the unit. During this stop, the log quality specialist and logging company owner had a brief conversation. The owner was the only witness to the conversation, and his report of what he said was limited and ambiguous. The logging company owner then left to perform some work at the east end of the site. A witness indicated the log quality specialist waited at the location of this encounter for at least 20 minutes before proceeding to the northwest, driving toward the timber falling activity. There were no warning signs or flaggers present in advance of the active falling area. The faller working at the northwest end cut a tree that fell downslope and into the road, 135 degrees from its intended lay. He went down to clear the tree from the road and discovered a vehicle had been struck by the tree and come to rest further down the road. He discovered the log quality specialist severely injured in her vehicle and called 911. First responders arrived within about 30 minutes but pronounced the log quality specialist dead at the scene. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Employers responsible for active logging operations should assure that entry intohazardous logging areas is controlled, including correct placement of flagging, roadclosures, and adequate and proper signage and warnings. 2. Employers should assess tree fallers' skills for felling and bucking logs, and requirethat novice or inadequately performing workers are directly supervised by aqualified person until the faller demonstrates the ability to safely perform thesetasks independently. 3. Employers with employees who work in and around forests who may be exposed toproduction logging operations should train employees in hazard recognition andreporting, and assure reported hazards are tracked, documented, and resolved, andtheir resolution communicated. 4. Incident investigations should be utilized to identify action items to be addressed,and responsibilities should be assigned to assure their completion. 5. On multi-employer worksites, all employers with employees on site share theresponsibility for protecting workers from known hazards, and thus should establishinter-employer safety communication practices involving all employers at a givensite.Cooperative Agreemen
Roofer Electrocuted and Another Severely Shocked When the Aluminum Extension Ladder He was Moving Contacted an Overhead Power Line - Massachusetts
Get PDFOn October 9, 2004, a 40-year-old roofer (victim) was fatally injured and a co-worker was seriously injured when the aluminum extension ladder they were unloading from a pickup truck contacted a 7,620 volt energized overhead power line. The day of the incident, a Saturday morning, the victim and the co-worker were at the incident site dropping off material and equipment for a job scheduled to start the following Tuesday. The pickup truck was parked in front of the customer's house while the victim and co-worker were lifting the extended aluminum extension ladder from the pickup truck and moving it into a vertical position. The extended aluminum extension ladder came in contact with the energized overhead power lines electrocuting the victim and seriously shocking the co-worker. The Massachusetts FACE Program concluded that to prevent similar occurrences in the future, employers should: 1. Eliminate the use of conductive ladders in proximity to energized overhead power lines; 2. Conduct jobsite surveys prior to the start of construction projects to identify potential hazards, such as energized overhead power lines, and to implement appropriate control measures for these hazards; 3. Ensure that loading and unloading of construction equipment and materials from vehicles are not performed beneath overhead power lines; and, 4. Develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive safety program and provide training in language(s) and literacy level(s) of workers, which includes hazard recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions, such as working with portable metal ladders near energized power lines.Cooperative Agreemen
A Hispanic car wash supervisor died when an air tank exploded in a car wash equipment room.
Get PDFA 46-year-old Hispanic car wash supervisor died when an air tank exploded inside an equipment room of a car wash. The victim was inside the equipment room when the explosion occurred. The owner of the business and another employee were in the equipment room just prior to the explosion and had just exited the equipment room before the explosion. The business did not have any records or documentation on the air tanks in the equipment other than the Cal/OSHA inspection performed two years prior. At that time, the air tank passed all OSHA tests and inspections. The air tank that exploded was 23 years old. Testing performed by an independent laboratory found that there were products of combustion in the tank. Independent studies have shown that use of an improper oil type can lead to accumulation of oil residue in compressor receivers, and that this residue can lead to combustion and explosions. The CA/FACE investigator determined that in order to prevent future occurrences, employers, should ensure that air tanks and compressors are inspected regularly and maintained in a safe and operational condition, are serviced on a regular basis using OEM (original equipment manufacture) oil, and that all repairs and servicing are documented.Cooperative Agreemen
Massachusetts Arborist Electrocuted On Contact With 13,800 Volt Public Utility Powerline
Get PDFOn October 16, 1993, a 32 year old male arborist was electrocuted when he came in contact with a 13,800 volt public utility power line while cutting down a large pine tree. The victim was tied off to the upper section of the tree by a safety harness and lanyard, and was cutting branches. A co-worker, who was on the ground passing the branches through a chipper, heard a groan, and looking up saw that the victim had come in contact with the powerline at the back of his neck. The victim appeared unconscious, and the powerline was visibly arcing. The co-worker called for help, but subsequent rescue efforts were hampered when the tree itself became energized. It was not until approximately fifty minutes later that the powerline was de-energized and the victim retrieved from the tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a state medical examiner. In order to prevent similar future occurrences, MA FACE recommends that employers: 1. Contact the public utility to arrange to have power lines de-energized and grounded, or insulated, prior to requiring employees to trim trees in close proximity to energized power lines. 2. Ensure that tree trimming employees maintain the minimum safe working distances specified by OSHA when working near energized powerlines. 3. Develop, implement and enforce comprehensive safety programs that include, but are not limited to, electrical hazard control and fall protection. 4. Provide workers exposed to the hazards of electrocution and/or severe burns with training in electrical safety. Also, public utilities should consider: 5. Underground placement of potentially hazardous utilities, permanent insulation and/or implementation of a permit system whereby persons or firms engaged in work near high voltage power lines must first notify the public utility prior to commencement of work.Publication Date provided by FACE program; not printed on the report.Cooperative Agreemen
A Hispanic laborer operating an overhead crane died when he was crushed between two steel frames when the rigging failed
Get PDFA 36-year-old Hispanic laborer who was operating an overhead crane in a steel fabrication shop died when he was crushed between two steel frames. The victim was using a chain sling attached to the hook of an overhead crane and configured into a single choker hitch to pick up and turn over the steel frame that was lying horizontally on two saw horses. The hook on the sling did not have a safety latch. The victim was standing between the load and another steel frame that was leaning vertically against the shop platform when the hook disconnected and the vertical frame fell toward the victim, trapping him between the two steel frames. The victim was trained by shop supervisors on the specifics of his job. The riggers in this company were not required to be certified. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future occurrences, employers, as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), should: 1. Ensure employees do not place any part of their bodies into areas where they might become trapped when operating an overhead crane. 2. Ensure that the tools and equipment used in the shop are periodically inspected for defects and safety compliance, and are repaired or replaced as needed. 3. Ensure employees who use cranes to lift loads of varying size and complexity are certified in rigging.Cooperative Agreemen
Tow Truck Operator Dies When Car Being Driven By Intoxicated Driver Leaves Road and Strikes Him
Get PDFOn February 11, 2005, a 34-year-old male tow truck driver was killed when a car driven by an intoxicated individual left the roadway and hit him. The victim positioned the tow truck in front of the disabled car, which had a flat tire. Both the tow truck and disabled car were on the east shoulder of the road, facing north. The tow truck beacon lights were activated. The victim was operating a flatbed-style tow truck. He tilted the bed down and attached the cables to the car. While he was on his cell phone, he asked the customer for his keys so he could place the car's transmission into neutral. He instructed the customer to go on the passenger side of the tow truck and sit in the truck cab. It is unknown if the victim was getting into or out of the car on the driver's side; the car door was open. A northbound car, driven by an intoxicated individual, left the roadway and struck the disabled car on the driver's rear side. The northbound car struck the victim, and then flipped over, landing on its roof several yards north of the incident scene. The disabled vehicle may have hit the tow truck causing it to overturn and enter a nearby ditch. Emergency response was called. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Recommendations: 1. Tow truck operators should place portable emergency warning devices such as reflective triangles on the roadway shoulder to alert oncoming traffic. 2. Tow truck operators should wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as high visibility vests. 3. Employers should consider developing a cell phone usage policy and instructing employees regarding the cell phone policy. 4. Operators should use the tow truck controls located on the shoulder side of the road.Cooperative Agreemen
Farm Youth Dies After Becoming Entangled In the Unloading Beaters of a Forage Wagon [05MN036]
Get PDFA 13-year-old farm youth died after he became entangled in the beaters of a forage wagon. On the day of the incident, the victim was helping his cousin feed cattle in a farm pasture. They were using a tractor and a power-take-off (PTO) driven forage wagon to feed hay to the cattle. At the time of the incident, the victim's cousin was operating the tractor and wagon and the victim was on the ground near the wagon. The forage wagon was connected to the tractor's drawbar and its power-take-off shaft. When the tractor's PTO drive mechanism was engaged, it operated the wagon's unloading mechanism including two unloading beaters mounted across the front of the wagon. The beaters broke apart the forage in the wagon as two "conveyors" apron chains that were also driven by the tractor's PTO shaft moved it to the front of the wagon. While the victim and his cousin were unloading hay from the wagon, clumps of hay lodged near the front of the wagon. Before the victim's cousin could stop the tractor's PTO, the victim climbed on the front of the wagon to dislodge the clumps of hay. He placed one or both of his legs inside the front end of the wagon in an attempt to kick free the clogged hay. When he did, the legs of his pants became entangled in the beaters. The tractor operator noticed the victim becoming entangled in the beaters, stopped the tractor's PTO and rushed to the victim. He saw that the victim was caught between the beaters so he ran to others at the farm and notified them of the incident. A 911 call was placed to emergency personnel who soon arrived at the scene. They assisted in removing the victim from the beaters. After the victim was removed, he was taken to a nearby medical facility where he was pronounced dead. MN FACE investigators concluded that, in order to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences, the following guidelines should be followed: 1. Working youth should only be assigned age appropriate tasks. 2. Operators should, whenever possible disengage the power-take-off before dismounting from a tractor, and, 3. Workers should not wear loose-fitting clothing near or while operating machines.Cooperative Agreemen
A farmer was crushed when a round bale of hay, weighing 1,500 - 1,800 lbs., toppled off of an agricultural tractor equipped as a front-end loader with a fork attachment.
Get PDFOn September 9, 1998, a 79 year-old farmer (the victim) was crushed to death when a round bale of hay weighing 1,500 - 1,800 lbs., toppled off a tractor's front forks. The victim was in the process of putting hay out for cattle. He positioned the forks underneath the round hay bale instead of sticking the forks into the end of the hay bale. As he raised the hay bale, the victim apparently moved the control lever into the detent position which held the control lever in place. This caused the hay bale to continue to rise to a point where it fell off the forks and landed on the victim as he sat in the operator's seat. The TX FACE investigator concluded that to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences, employers should: 1. Use the attachment designed for the type of hay bale being lifted. 2. Install blocks in the control lever mechanism that would prevent the control lever from being pushed/pulled into the detent position.Precise Publication Date provided by FACE program; report only indicates "1999"Cooperative Agreemen
City Employee Killed when Clothing became Entangled around an Unguarded PTO Shaft on a Salt Truck
Get PDFOn January 26th, 2005 a 43-year-old male sanitation worker, employed by a city Department of Public Works (DPW), was killed when his sweatshirt became entangled around an unguarded Power Take Off (PTO) shaft on a salt truck. The truck had a broken bed chain (a conveyer belt used to transport salt to the rear of the truck) and had been in for service six days prior to the incident. The DPW mechanical crew repaired the bed chain and returned the truck to service but did not reinstall a shaft guard that covered the PTO shaft. At the time of the incident, the victim was alone operating the salt truck in the city's salt shed. There were no witnesses to the incident. It appeared that sometime between 3:50 p.m. and 4:10 p.m., when the victim walked to the rear of the truck to check the salt spreader, his orange safety sweatshirt was caught by the rotating shaft stub. At approximately 4:10 p.m., the victim was found by a co-worker. The salt spreader was still running and it appeared the victim had been strangled by the sweatshirt that had been tightened by the rotating shaft stub. The co-worker immediately turned off the machine and called two other workers for help. They freed the victim and placed a call to a DPW dispatcher. The fire department, police department, and ambulance service arrived within minutes. The victim was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. New York State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (NY FACE) investigators concluded that to help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, employers should: 1. Require maintenance staff to inspect and certify each piece of equipment before releasing it back into service after maintenance or repair; 2. Require operators or other competent persons to perform daily safety checks on mobile equipment prior to operating the equipment; 3. Develop a standard salt truck operating procedure that requires operators to turn off the machine while cleaning and unclogging the bed chain and; 4. Establish a safety and health management system that is responsible for implementing a comprehensive occupational safety and health program.Publication Date provided by FACE program; not printed on the report.Cooperative Agreemen