US DOL Cites Cellular Dredging Gear Producer After Investigation Into 22-Yr-Outdated Employees Demise
US DOL cites manufacturers of mobile excavation equipment after investigating the death of a 22-year-old worker
- 07/23/21
- WorkersCompensation.com
Mobile, AL (WorkersCompensation.com) – On January 27, a 22-year-old apprentice suffered fatal injuries on a 9-meter crane bridge when he was trapped in the drive shaft of a crane trolley, a tragedy federal inspectors say could have been prevented.
The Alabama resident, part of a team of five from SPI / Mobile Pulley Works Inc. repairing a 50-ton hoist, was running a heavy steel cable onto a hoist drum when the incident occurred. Labor safety and health inspectors found that the employer had failed to ensure that workers were removed from the structure of the crane or otherwise out of the way of moving components while the crane was in operation.
The OSHA inspection resulted in 11 serious and two non-serious violations for the manufacturer of mobile dredging equipment. The inspectors found that the company had failed to provide a safe workplace, exposing them to hazards which they caught and crushed, likely to result in death or serious physical harm. OSHA has also identified the following violations:
- Allow employees to work near unguarded equipment that could expose them to knocking and entanglement hazards.
- Regular inspections of the crane not carried out.
- Workers have been exposed to respiratory hazards by requiring workers to wear half-face mask negative pressure breathing apparatus without proper fit testing and by not providing training on the use of breathing apparatus to minimize the number of workers exposed to inhalable crystalline silica.
- Inadequate training on fall protection systems exposing workers to the risk of falling.
- The alloy steel chain slings used for the rigging could not be verified.
OSHA proposed $ 89,141 in fines.
“Heavy industrial work can be dangerous and employers must adhere to workplace safety standards to avoid serious injury, and in this case tragedy,” said Jose A. Gonzalez, area director of OSHA in Mobile, Alabama. “The terrible loss to this young man’s family and friends is compounded by the realization that this incident could have been prevented.”
Find out more about crane, derrick and hoist safety, fall protection and respiratory protection.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing their employees with safe and healthy workplaces. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for American workers by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, education, and support.
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