OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #891796
HEAD,PPE,WORK RULES,CONSTRUCTION,METAL POLE,HIGH PRESSURE,STRUCK BY,FALLING OBJECT
Event description
Employee injured when struck on head by falling post driver
Investigation abstract
At approximately 9:45 a.m. on August 9, 1989, Employee #1 and a coworker were in ch he was hospitalized. The manufacturer's operating instructions, which employe es are required to read before using the equipment, include the following cautio ns: operators must run at 90 psi; clear the post in the sleeve or chuck 1/8 in. to 1/2 in.; and wear a hard hat, safety glasses, and shoe protection. Neither em ployee was wearing a hard hat at the time of the accident. The manufacturer's in structions were not read, nor were they available. Neither employee was wearing a hard hat at the time of the accident. The pole clearance was 1 1/8 in. stalling a 2 1/2 in. diameter by 8 1/2 ft long metal fence post in the ground. O ne end was inserted into the 3 5/8 in. diameter by 10 in. long sleeve of a 57 1/ 2 lb portable air-powered Rhino Matel PD-50 post driver. The air pressure used w as 120 psi. The two employees raised the post to a vertical position with the po st driver on top. Employee #1 then held the post with one hand to keep it stable , and with his other hand installed the throttle valve in the air supply hose to activate the post driver. The post driver lifted up off the pole and fell, stri king Employee #1 on the head. He received multiple cuts and lacerations, for whi
Victim
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 29 M
- Nature of injury
- 7
- Part of body
- 13
- Event type
- 1
- Source
- 26
- Occupation code
- 599
- Human factor
- 20
- Environmental factor
- 6
- Task assigned
- 1
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