Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 93WY010, 1993 Jun; :1-4
A 40 year old male home builder died from injuries suffered while he and two co-workers were attempting to unload sheets of steel siding off a truck by means of a crane. The stack of outer sheet steel was being lifted by attaching a truck-mounted crane to two nylon straps that were placed around each end of the 20' stack. When the crane began lifting, it appeared that the load was uneven, so it was lowered back onto the truck bed and the straps were re-positioned. As it was then lifted off the truck bed, the longer of the two straps was run through a clevis on the end of the shorter strap, and then attached by the sewn loop of the strap to the hook of the crane hoist. The longer strap broke at the point where it held the edge of the metal stack, allowing the sheets to twist and fall, striking the victim in the chest. The loose end of the stack then fell on top of the victim, bounced, and came to rest on his left leg. Emergency responders were called and CPR was attempted at the scene prior to the ambulance arrival. The victim was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Employers may be able to minimize the potential for occurrence of this type of incident through the following precautions: 1. Provide safety incentives that are at least as effective as time incentives for work completion. 2. Inspect rigging equipment more frequently to determine any imperfections in advance of use. 3. Establish and strictly enforce alcohol use policies for all workers handling dangerous materials.
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