OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #690560

WIRE ROPE,FINGER,WORK RULES,CLEANING,CAUGHT BY,CRANE BLOCK,CRANE,INATTENTION

1985-07-17T00:00:00

Event: WIRE ROPE,FINGER,WORK RULES,CLEANING,CAUGHT BY,CRANE BLOCK,CRANE,INATTENTION
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 690560
Report ID: 854910

Event description

EMPLOYEE INJURED WHEN FINGERS CAUGHT IN CRANE WIRE ROPE

Investigation abstract

EMPLOYEE #1 AND ANOTHER EMPLOYER WERE PREPARING TO STEAM CLEAN AND TOUCH UP THE TIME EMPLOYEE #1 WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE WIRE ROPE AND BLOCK SHEAVE. WHEN THE BLO CK WAS RAISED FROM A SIDE-DOWN POSITION, THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS SUCH THAT THE BLOCK WAS RAISED IN AN ANGULAR POSITION. AFTER THE BLOCK HUNG FOR A WHILE, THE WIRE ROPE SNAPPED INTO THE SHEAVES AND ADJUSTED ITSELF TO VERTICAL. THE ROPE HAD BOUND ON THE RIGHT ANGLE EDGE OF THE STRUCTURAL SIDE MEMBER. THE MISALIGNED CON DITION WAS NOT UNCOMMON. EMPLOYEE #1 SAID THAT HE ALWAYS HAD A STICK WITH WHICH TO STRIKE THE WIRE ROPE BACK TO ALIGNMENT FROM THE BOUND EDGE. IN THIS PARTICULA R CASE, HE HAD APPARENTLY PUT HIS HAND ON THE WIRE ROPE, BUT COULDN'T REMEMBER W HY. MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE OPERATOR AND EMPLOYEE #1. AT FIRST EMPLOYEE #1 SAID HE WAS SURE THAT THE BLOCK WAS IN A TRUE VERTICAL POSITIO PAINT ON A MANITOWOC 4000 CRANE. THE BOOM WAS THREADED WITH 1 1/8 INCH WIRE ROPE N AND THAT THE BLOCK AND/OR WIRE ROPE SUDDENLY MOVED CATCHING HIS FINGERS. STATE MENTS FROM THE OPERATOR CONTRADICTED EMPLOYEE #1. THE OPERATOR STATED THAT HE HA D LONG BEEN TRAINED NOT TO MOVE THE BOOM OR BLOCK WITHOUT PROPER SIGNAL. AFTER F URTHER DISCUSSION WITH EMPLOYEE #1, HE CONCEEDED THAT THE BLOCK MAY HAVE BEEN AT AN ANGLE. WITH ONLY THE TWO OUTSIDE SHEAVES (OF THE SIX AVAILABLE) UTILIZED ON THE 3300 P OUND BLOCK. THE BLOCK WAS RESTING ON THE GROUND WITH ITS SIDE DOWN. AN EMPLOYEE OF THE LEASEE HAD BEEN SOLICITED TO OPERATE THE CRANE. THE BOOM WAS RAISED AND T HEN THE BLOCK. EMPLOYEE #1, WHO WAS STANDING NEAR THE BOOM END, HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE AS THE BLOCK WAS BEING LIFTED. HE MOTIONED THE OPERATOR TO LOWER THE BOOM AND THE BLOCK. THE BOOM WAS LOWERED TO A HORIZOTAL POSITION WITH THE BLOCK ON T HE GROUND. THE OPERATOR WAS AGAIN SIGNALED TO BOOM UP AND RAISE THE BLOCK. THIS

Victim

#1 Hospitalized Age 43 M

Nature of injury
1

Part of body
10

Event type
2

Source
24

Occupation code
999

Human factor
8

Environmental factor
2

Task assigned
1

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