Fatality Narrative: Roofer Crushed Between Beam and Boom-Supported Elevating Work Platform - Slideshow

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Washington (State). Department of Labor and Industries
• Description:
  On September 18, 2012, a 23-year-old roofer working from a boom-supported elevating work platform (also known as a boom or aerial lift) died when he was crushed between a horizontal building beam and the platform. The operator had worked in the construction industry for 29 years and was a trained lift operator. The victim had worked in the industry for several months. They both had worked at the site for more than three weeks. Working 14 feet above the ground from the elevated platform, the victim and an equipment operator were installing metal siding panels on a building. In front of the platform was a vertical column and an overhead horizontal beam. The operator began to move the lift sideways to the building to position it so that they could install another panel. As the lift began to move, the operator was watching to ensure that he did not hit the vertical column. The operator was just about to retract the boom, when the platform suddenly rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise. This action pinned and crushed the victim between the horizontal beam and the platform's control panel. The operator, unable to access the panel, called for assistance from workers on the ground who were able to operate the lift's ground controls. An investigation found that the victim likely inadvertently activated the platform's rotation switch, which can be done by slight pressure, thereby causing the platform to rotate. Requirements: Employers must make sure that employees who operate elevating work platforms do the following both before and while driving the platform elevated: Maintain a clear view of the path of travel. Keep a safe distance from obstacles, debris, drop-offs, holes, depressions, ramps, and other hazards to safe travel. Keep a safe distance from overhead obstacles. Recommendations: Perform a job/task hazard assessment to identify overhead obstructions and plan how to avoid them. Consider purchasing or retrofitting aerial lifts with an operator protective structure (OPS) to protect workers from being crushed against overhead obstructions. (Employers must have written permission from the manufacturer before modifying an elevating work platform. See WAC 296-869-30020). Equipment manufacturers should design aerial platform controls so that they are protected against inadvertent activation by workers on the work platform. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Accidents, Occupational
  • Construction Industry
  • Mortality
  • Occupational Health
  • Safety
• Keywords:
  • Fatalities
  • Roofing industry
  • Roofers
  • Equipment operation
  • Equipment operators
  • Accidents
  • Accident analysis
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060852
• Citation:
  Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 71-126-2013s, 2013 Dec; :1-9
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2014
• Performing Organization:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Fatality narrative: roofer crushed between beam and boom-supported elevating work platform - slideshow
• End Date:
  20260630
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/229037/cdc_229037_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 694.39 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d859625c954820e47420e0c4999aef98cc0743a0e0491034ebbc37a0dead89a4740495d9f69a2c082bfa35ad03aa1dabd18bc347da17109d1c7b6a9bce69c851