OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #221735525

RIETH-RILEY CONSTRUCTION CO INC

ELKHART, IN— 2025-01-18T00:00:00

Event: Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Climbing, Concussion, Construction, Contusion, Falling Object, Fracture, Hammer, Laceration, Lack of Work Procedures, Machine operator, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Pile Driver, Pile Leads, Struck By, Unsafe Position
NAICS: 237310
Inspection type: Federal Agency
Activity number: #347988206
Employer profile: RIETH-RILEY CONSTRUCTION CO INC
Summary number: 221735525
Report ID: 0551800
Project type: B
Construction end-use: I

Event description

Employee is fatally injured when struck by falling pile hamm

Investigation abstract

At 11:30 a.m. on January 18, 2025, Employee #1 was working for a general positioned within the leads in order to be able to reach the pile. The employee was tied off with personal fall protection at this time. Coworker #1 stated that he directed the employee to get down as he attempted to reposition the pile because they couldn't get it repositioned manually and would have to try other means. At this time, the hammer fell and struck Employee #1. Employee #1 was fatally injured. contractor and was tasked with assisting with the placement and installation of piles. Prior to the incident, the employee had been working alongside Coworker #1, the foreman, who was acting as the signal person for Coworker #2, the crane operator, placing the leads, piling, and hammer to install the piles. The crew had installed approximately 8 pilings successfully when a pile placed within the leads and on the hammer slipped out of the hammer head. Coworker #1 directed the employee to climb the leads and attempt to manually manipulate the pile back into position. Coworker #1 stated that the employee was required to be

Victim

#1 Fatality Age 22 M

Event type
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.