Laborer Crushed Between Two Large Stone Slabs at a Manufacturing Facility—Massachusetts

SUMMARY

On May 7, 2019, a 49-year-old laborer was killed while assisting in moving a large stone slab to be stored on an A-frame rack. He was positioned between two A-frame racks, trying to disconnect the slab lifter, when he was crushed between two large stone slabs.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include:

• Not using the slab rack’s safety posts;
• Victim position within the fall shadow;
• Forklift operator lacked training and state license;
• Job hazard analysis for moving stone slabs was not performed;
• Standard operating procedures for moving stone slabs were not developed; and
• Lack of a safety and health program and overall safety training.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The Massachusetts FACE Program concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:

• Use slab racks designed with fixed safety posts and individual compartments for each slab;
• Ensure that employees are never located in the fall shadow of a stone slab while the slab is being accessed to be moved;
• Ensure that only employees with the required OSHA training and state license are permitted to operate forklifts;
• Ensure that a job hazard analysis is performed for all routine tasks and updated when needed; and
• Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOP) for moving, storing, and retrieving stone slabs, which includes ensuring employees are never located in the fall zone.

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