OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14465033

HEAD,OVERLOADED,COLLAPSE,CONSTRUCTION,HOIST,FALL

1985-08-22T00:00:00

Event: HEAD,OVERLOADED,COLLAPSE,CONSTRUCTION,HOIST,FALL
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14465033
Report ID: 551800

Event description

MATERIAL HOIST FELL, DROPPING EMPLOYEES TO THE GROUND

Investigation abstract

SIMCON EMPLOYEES #1,2,3 AND 4, AND KEMMER EMPLOYEES #5,6, AND 7 WERE DESCENDING TOWER TO BUCKLE). THE FINAL RESULT WAS THAT THE PLATFORM WAS LEFT HANGING AT A N EAR VERTICAL ANGLE, CAUSING ALL THE EMPLOYEES TO BE THROWN TO THE GROUND. SEVERA L OF THE EMPLOYEES STRUCK THEIR HEADS ON THE EDGE OF PALLETS OF RED BRICKS. THE PALLETS WERE LOCATED AT A HEIGHT OF 13 FEET, 9 INCHES. EMPLOYEES #2,5, & 6 WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR LESS THAN 2 WEEKS WHILE EMPLOYEE #4, MORE SERIOUSLY INJURED, RE MAINS HOSPITALIZED IN INTENSIVE CARE. FROM THE ROOF OF THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY FIELD HOUSE TO EAT LUNCH. THEY BOARDED TH E PLATFORM OF THE TUSKY MATERIAL HOIST, SERIAL NO. A8740. THE SIGN ON THE PLATFO RM STATED " NO RIDERS ALLOWED-LOAD LIMIT 1200 #". THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLATFORM W AS CONTROLLED BY ONE CABLE AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM AND ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HOIST TOWER. WHEN ONE CABLE WAS PULLED UPWARD TO START THE DESCENT, THE INJURED EMPLO YEES STATED THAT IT FELT AS IF THE PLATFORM "FELL AWAY BENEATH THEM". WHEN THE P LATFORM WAS PART WAY DOWN THE TOWER, IT CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP (EITHER BECAUSE O F THE TOWER BUCKLING AT THE MIDPOINT OR BECAUSE THE FALLING PLATFORM CAUSED THE

Victims (7)

#1 Fatality Age 33 M

Nature of injury
6

Part of body
13

Event type
5

Source
24

Occupation code
595

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#2 Hospitalized Age 24 M

Nature of injury
6

Part of body
13

Event type
5

Source
24

Occupation code
595

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#3 Fatality Age 26 M

Nature of injury
6

Part of body
13

Event type
5

Source
24

Occupation code
595

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#4 Hospitalized Age 36 M

Nature of injury
6

Part of body
13

Event type
5

Source
24

Occupation code
595

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#5 Hospitalized Age 29 M

Nature of injury
3

Part of body
5

Event type
5

Source
24

Occupation code
563

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#6 Hospitalized Age 21 M

Nature of injury
7

Part of body
21

Event type
5

Source
24

Occupation code
563

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#7 Fatality Age 21 M

Nature of injury
6

Part of body
13

Event type
5

Source
24

Occupation code
563

Human factor
6

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1

Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.