807 Focus Four: Caught-In/Between Hazards

Description of Accident

The contractor was operating a backhoe when an employee attempted to walk between the swinging superstructure of the backhoe and a concrete wall. As the employee approached the backhoe from the operator's blind side, the superstructure hit the victim crushing him against the wall.

Inspection Results

OSHA issued two citations to the employer. One was based on failure to train employees in safe work practices regarding the dangers of construction machinery. The other citation was for failure to erect barricades to prevent entry into a swinging superstructure's radius.

What would you recommend?

Recommendations

• Instruct each employee on the danger of passing between swinging superstructures of large construction equipment and solid objects at the demolition site [29 CRF 1926.21(b)(2)].
• Provide each employee employment and place of employment which are free from recognized hazards causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees [OSH Act Sec. 5(a)(1)].

Four employees were boring a hole and pushing a 20-inch pipe casing under a road. The employees were in an excavation approximately 9 feet wide, 32 feet long and 7 feet deep. Steel plates 8' x 15' x 3/4", being used as shoring, were placed vertically against the north and south walls of the excavation at approximately a 30-degree angle. There were no horizontal braces between the steel plates. The steel plate on the south wall tipped over, pinning an employee (who was killed) between the steel plate and the pipe casing. At the time the plate tipped over, a backhoe was being operated adjacent to the excavation.

Inspection Results

As a result of its investigation, OSHA issued a citation for two alleged serious violations of its construction standards. OSHA's construction safety standards include several requirements that, if they had been followed here, might have prevented this fatality.

What would you recommend?

Recommendations

• Provide an adequately constructed and braced shoring system for employees working in an excavation that may expose employees to the danger of moving ground (29 CFR 1926.651(a)(1)).
• If heavy equipment is operated near an excavation, stronger shoring must be used to resist the extra pressure due to superimposed loads (29 CFR 1926.652(c)(1)).