New OR-FACE hazard alert

OR-FACE published a new hazard alert, “Follow manufacturer’s instructions.”  The document summarizes three Oregon construction fatal stories.  Common to the three cases was failure to follow manufacturer’s instructions:

Case 1:  A pile was held in a vertical position with the bottom of the pile resting on the ground. The clamp holding the top of the pile unexpectedly released. The pile was not rigged to the clamp housing or attached to the whipline.  It fell on the crane cab killing the operator.  The crew was not aware of the manufacturer instructions warning of clamp failure if the hydraulic clamp cylinder was not bled of entrained air.  Pile lifting instructions in the manual required a shackle and short line attached to the hole in the pile clamp housing with the shackle fastened into the lifting hole in the pile.

Case 2: The manufacturer safety instructions warned that coupler and components should not be modified. The closed lifting eye had been removed and replaced with a latched hook. A hook attached to the track-hoe failed, causing the taut rigging to snap loose, fly into the trench shield, and hit the pipelayer on the back of his hard hat.

Case 3:  The critical elements of standard practice provided in the BCSI-B1 Summary Sheet Guide to Handling, Installing, Restraining and Bracing of Trusses prior to and during truss installation were not followed. The foreman sustained a fatal head injury when he was struck on the head by a falling truss.

For other hazard alerts, investigation reports, and toolbox talk guides go to the OR-FACE website.