Jim Shelton Houston North Area Office Crane Incidents Overview Houston Area.

Jim SheltonHouston North Area Office

Crane Incidents OverviewHouston Area

• Overall Houston Fatality Incidents FY 2009 to FY 2015• Review of Crane Fatality Incidents FY

2009 to FY 2015• Overall Houston Serious Incidents

Reports Calendar Year 2015• Review of Crane Serious Incident

Reports Calendar Year 2015• Note: Starting Oct 2016 fatalities and

serious incidents will both be able to be tracked by fiscal year

Crane Incidents Overview

Fatalities and Catastrophes are logged or recorded in various mediums and reports generated using various criteria. Late

reporting, natural causes which may have generated an initial report, fatalities transferred to other jurisdictions and other factors may affect the overall numbers over time. Houston specific data is edited to determine a count of fatalities/catastrophes under OSHA

jurisdiction and may change over time as records are updated. Narratives are rewritten and edited and may not reflect the final results of an investigation. Data in many cases is used ‘as is’. The

numbers and information are for accident prevention purposes and trending and is not intended to be a statistical study or evaluation

Disclaimer

• From Oct 1st, 2008 to September 31th, 2015 there have been approximately 358 fatalities/catastrophes in the area of the Houston North and Houston South Area Office jurisdictions (SE TX)• The numbers are estimates and are not

meant to be an exact count of incidents inspected or under OSHA’s jurisdiction. The information is for prevention purposes and not a statistical study

Houston Fatalities and Catastrophes

FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15*0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

27

18

2629

2327 28

40

2723 25 25

20 20

67

4549

54

48 47 48

Hou North Hou South Hou Total• Incidents appear steady with no big change in either the North or the South overall• Fatalities long term

appear to be trending upward on the North side and downward on the South side

Houston Activity Overall

* FY 2015 Data Search Nov 18, 2015

FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15*0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

31 29 30 2831 33

29

36

1619

26

1714

19

67

4549

54

48 47 48

Hou GI Hou Const Hou Total• General Industry (1910) was lower in FY15 after tapering up for several years• Construction (1926)

which seemed to be trending downward rose sharply in FY15

Houston Activity Overall

* FY 2015 Data Search Nov 18, 2015

• Crane operations include any operation where the crane was an integral part of the work being performed at the time of the incident• All fatality incidents are during the period

fiscal 2009 to fiscal year 2015• All SIRs incidents are calendar year 2015• A fiscal year runs Oct 1st to Sept 30th

Crane Incidents Overview

FY 09 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15 TOTAL

Gen Industry Total 0 3 0 2 0 3 4 12

Struck By - 3 - 2 - 1 3 9

Caught Between - - - - - 1 1 2

Electrocution - - - - - 1 - 1

Construction Total 5 1 3 2 0 0 1 12

Struck By 2 1 1 1 - - - 5

Caught Between 1 - 1 1 - - 1 4

Falls 2 - 1 - - - - 3

TOTAL 5 4 3 4 0 3 5 24

Crane Related Incidents FY09-FY15

Fatalities

Construction

NAICS Industry Incidents

238120 Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors 3

237990 Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 2

238990 All Other Specialty Trade Contractors 2

237120 Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction 1

237130 Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction 1

237310 Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 1

238190 Other Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 1

238910 Site Preparation Contractors 1

Construction Crane Incidents by NAICS

SB Falling Object of Equipment; 4; 33%

Fall Lower Level Structure of Equipment; 3; 25%

CB Stationary and Moving Equipment or Ob-jects; 2; 17%

CB Stationary and Falling Equipement or Ob-jects; 1; 8%

Entangles in Running Equipment or Ma-chinery, 1, 8%

SB Swinging Load or Equipment, 1, 8%

Construction Crane Incident Factors

• A 40 year old employee helping to assemble a rig derrick. Preparing to hook a section of derrick to the crane he was observed climbing a section of derrick which fell backwards against another section of derrick pinning him • Employees had completed unloading a 70-foot piling weighing

29,000 pounds off a flatbed trailer. One of the employees was standing outside the established barricade for the swing radius of the crane. As the crane turned, the rotating superstructure of the crane extended beyond the established barricade crushing the employee between the pilings and the cranes superstructure

Construction Crane Incidents

• An employee performing rigging operations was struck by an excavator bucket when the operator became entangled in the control causing the bucket to lunge forward pinning him against a stack of crane mats • EE drawn into revolving hoist drum when his jacket was caught in

an ingoing nip point between wire rope and drum cylinder• EE attached diaphragm to bridge girder and while standing on

girder to provide crane operator directions fell• EE on wall 18’ up when an I-beam being set shifted striking

employee causing him to fall


• A 22 year old connector was preparing to connect a structural beam to be positioned with a crane. Another connector was at the other end. The crane positioned the beam and they began to connect the beam. A column collapsed causing the employee to fall 50 as the beam his fall protection was connected to collapsed and was pinned by the beam • A 90 ton crane was being used as an assist crane to lift a 44,000 lb.

counterweight tray to another crane. The 42 year old rigger was on a ladder attempting to insert the first pin on the counterweight tray when the assist crane’s pinned section of the boom failed dropping the counterweight on the employee


• EEs were to install steel truss that was being moved by hydraulic crane with lineman assisting with tag line on end of truss. EEs were in JLG at ground level and before they were elevated to the working level the truss was raised striking a 360 lb surge arrester causing it to fall on an EE• A crane operator was lifting a 68,000 lb concrete tilt wall when the crane

lifted and collapsed onto the ground crushing the operator • EE struck by head ache ball on crane when the crane whip line was two

blocked causing wire rope to break• A crane was removing a concrete gang form when it swung parallel to a

wall crushing a 25 year old employee between the gang form and the concrete wall


Fatalities

General Industry


488320 Marine Cargo Handling 2

213111 Drilling Oil and Gas Wells 1

213112 Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations 1

323114 Commercial Screen Printing 1

332618 Other Fabricated Wire Product Manufacturing 1

333120 Construction Machinery Manufacturing 1

333132 Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing 1

423510 Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers 1

488310 Port and Harbor Operations 1

488390 Other Support Activities for Water Transportation 1

541990 All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 1

Gen Industry Crane Incidents by NAICS

SB Falling Object or Equipment; 6; 50%

CB Stationary and Moving Equipment or Ob-jects; 2; 17%

SB Moving Object or Equipment; 2; 17%

Electrocution OH Powerlines; 1; 8%

SB Shifting Load or Equipment; 1; 8%

Gen Industry Crane Incident Factors

• Employee was working on an overhead crane from a boom lift. He was found pinned between the controls of the aerial lift and the I-beam of the crane slumped over and un-responsive. Hospitalized and died 21 days later• An employee was located at the top level of a dock's platform

observing the operation of a crane lowering a hose to the barge. During this operation the employee was located below the boom and as a result the employee was crushed between the railing and the boom of the crane

Gen Industry Crane Incidents

• Employees were removing a motor from a drilling rig with a crane when the engine became stuck on an outrigger and the crane was stopped about 3-4' from he 7200 v overhead power lines. Once the engine was free the wire rope boom line contacted the powerlines electrocuting the two riggers • Three employees were lifting a "pipe handler" off a flat bed truck using

a gin pole truck. The deceased and a second employee had hooked the chain slings up to the pipe handler. The chain slings were connected to part of the support structure of the equipment. When lifting, one of the support structures broke at the weld and the pipe handler fell to the ground striking one of the employees killing him


• A 45 year old employee was using a 1 ton floor jib to replace a 1,900 lb roll of paper on a printing machine. When the load was lifted the bolts anchoring the base of the crane pulled out of the concrete causing the crane and load to fall striking the employee• An employee was assisting in the placement of a centrifuge

conveyor using an overhead crane. As the conveyor was being placed on the floor, it detached from the hook and struck the employee in the upper back area killing him• A 65 year old employee was run over by a gantry crane while

walking across a container pad


• Two employees were attempting to move two pipes that were strapped together. The pipes were stacked on top of a stack of smaller pipes the employees wanted to get to because they had been sold. The employees were going to use an overhead crane to move the pipes. While attempting to get chains on both ends of the pipes, the pipes fell from the top of the stack landing on the torso of one of the employees causing fatal injuries.

• Longshoremen were in the hull of a ship preparing an area for the placement of a blowout preventer (BOP). The vessel crew was operating the two cranes mounted on the ship and a large spreader bar to lower the 300 ton BOP into the vessel. When the cargo was approximately 3 feet from vessel floor, the longshoremen began placing dunnage for the cargo to rest on. A pin on one side of the spreader bar came out of its housing causing the cargo to drop and hit the deck. The mounting skid raised up knocking the employee down and the skid landed on the employees legs.


• A 54 year old employee was using a coil grab on an overhead crane to put a rail car cover on a gondola style rail car. The employee was on a platform on the end of the rail car with the wireless control when the rail car cover came free and struck him knocking him to the ground and fell on top of him • EE climbed ladder to watch his crew pick up dunnage. Gantry

crane was approaching his location with loud traveling alarm ringing. EE did not see or hear crane coming and walkway of crane struck him and knocked him off ladder, fell to deck and was caught by piece of pipe on crane and was dragged until emergency stop was hit


• A 47 year old employee and coworkers were lifting a conveyor and trying to tip it to clean off metal chips. A strap was used to rig the conveyor at its base rather than the ‘J’ hooks. The load shifted and struck the employee in the chest


SIR reports include hospitalizations, amputations, and loss of an eye reports to the Houston OSHA Offices in calendar year 2015

Serious Incident Reports (SIRs)

Serious Incidents Reports (SIRs) Houston

• Of the 462 SIR reports there were 32 reports in 2015 or about 7% of the reports related to crane operations• Looking at the types of

serious incidents that occur can hopefully prevent future serious injuries and fatalities


Gen In-dustry; 24;

75%

Con-struction;

8; 25%

Crane Operations SIR Reports• In FY 2014 and 2015 general industry accounted for 7 of 8 of the fatalities or 87.5%• Looking at the SIRs, general

industry accounts for a larger percentage of the reports also compared to construction, 24 of 32 reports or 75%


Struck By; 11; 46%

Caught Between;

7; 29%

Falls; 3; 13%

Other; 3; 13%

General Industry

Struck By; 4; 50%

Caught Be-tween; 4; 50%

Construction

SIR Crane Operations Focus Four

SIRs

Construction


238120 Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors 2

238990 All Other Specialty Trade Contractors 2

236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction 1

237110 Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction 1

238110 Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors 1

238150 Glass and Glazing Contractors 1

SIR Crane Operation by Construction NAICS

CB Moving Objects or Equipment; 2; 25%


CB Stationary and Moving Equipment or Objects; 1; 13%

Entangled in Running Equipment or Machinery; 1; 13%

Fall Lower Level Structure or Equipment; 1; 13%

SB Swinging Load or Equipment; 1; 13%

SIR Construction Crane Incident Factors

Finger; 3; 43%

Hand; 2; 29%

Fingers; 1; 14%

Lower Leg; 1; 14%

Affected Part

SIR Construction Crane Incident Injury

SIR Construction Crane Incident Injury

Amputation Partial; 3; 38%

Amputation ; 2; 25%

Crushed; 1; 13%

Fracture; 1; 13%

Not Specified; 1; 13%

Type Injury

• The employee was disassembling the boom of a crane to add another section. A section of the boom landed on the employee's lower left leg and fracturing it. • Injured employee was holding a 1/4" steel plate with another person while a

supervisor operated the crane to move the steel plate. The wind caused the plate to twist. The injured employee did not let go which resulted in his left hand being crushed between the steel plate and a truck resulting in an amputation at the hospital approximately 12 hours later.• Employee was setting a column form with an overhead hoist when his finger

became caught between a metal bracket and a two by four lacerated the tip of the employees finger and shaving a small portion of the bone.

SIR Construction Crane Incident Injuries

• Two employees were on the basket of a scissors lift. Another subcontractor was operating a crane to lift/remove a glass wall/panel. While the glass wall was been lifted it swung towards the scissors lift that had the employees 20 feet high and knock them down. • The employee got his right hand crushed while attaching the outrigger pad

during the assembly of a crane. • Employee had the tips of two of his fingers amputated while attempting to

disassemble a crane. Employee was adjusting a 100 ton jack so that it could push pins that held the gantry tube in position. When the jack was in position and pressure was starting to be applied to the pins something slipped causing the employees fingers to get pinched off. About one half inch of the employees ring and middle finger were amputated on his left hand.


• Employee was using a roust-a-bout to lift an I-beam. The roust-a-bout lost balance and tipped over. The employee tried to stop the I-Beam from falling and it fell and landed on the employees left pinky finger crushing it and resulting in amputation. • Employee was working on a crawler crane. The crane was boomed

down and employee was performing a repair on a sheave and while he was working on the repair the wire rope pulled his left index finger and crushed the finger resulting in amputation of the tip of his left index finger


SIRs

General Industry

NAICS Industry Incidents488320 Marine Cargo Handling 5

332312 Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing 3

333132 Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing 3

331110 Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 2

213112 Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations 1

322130 Paperboard Mills 1

332812 Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers 1

332911 Industrial Valve Manufacturing 1

333923 Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing 1

333992 Welding and Soldering Equipment Manufacturing 1

333999 All Other Miscellaneous General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing 1

336510 Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing 1

336611 Ship Building and Repairing 1

423510 Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers 1

562910 Remediation Services 1

SIR Crane Operations by Gen Industry NAICS

CB Moving Objects or Equipment; 4; 17%

SB Swinging Load or Equipment; 4; 17%


SB Moving Object or Equipment; 2; 8%

CB Stationary and Moving Equipment or Objects; 2; 8%

Fall Lower Level Non Moving Vehicle; 2; 8%

Body Movement; 2; 8%

Burns; 1; 4%Entangled in Running Equipment or Machinery, 1, 4%

Fall Lower Level Structure or Equipment; 1; 4%

SB Flying Object; 1; 4%

SB Shifting Load or Equipment, 1, 4%

SIR Gen Industry Crane Incident Factors

Finger; 4; 17%

Head; 3; 13%

Multiple Parts; 3; 13%

Knee; 2; 8% Foot; 2; 8%

Torso; 2; 8%

Thumb; 1; 4%

Fingers; 1; 4%

Elbow; 1; 4%

Arm; 1; 4%

Wrist; 1; 4%Hand; 1; 4%

Lower Leg; 1; 4%

Not Specified, 1, 4%

Affected Part

SIR Gen Industry Crane Incident Injury


Fracture; 9; 38%

Amputation Partial; 4; 17%

Not Specified; 4; 17%

Crushed; 3; 13%

Dislocation; 1; 4%

Burns, 1, 4%

Amputation, 1, 4%

Laceration; 1; 4%

Type Injury

• The employee was attempting to rig a steel beam with a chain sling and overhead crane. While attempting to rig this elevated beam, it fell towards the employee. The employee tried to brace/stop the beam with his hand and the force of the beam pushed him back, striking his face and chest as well, knocking him into another steel beam. The employee was brought to the hospital with a broken wrist and was admitted.• Employee was standing to descend from a crane and as he bent down to

grab the hand rail he flexed his knee and his knee popped. • Employee was loading a railcar with product using an overhead crane.

Employee was adjusting the lifting attachment for the crane when there was a shift in load being lifted which caused the employee's left thumb to be caught and crushed.


• An employee was doing maintenance on a crane. He removed a pin that retained the dead end of the wire rope. He stuck his finger in the hole where the pin was and the rope shifted causing an amputation of the tip of his right index finger.• Employee was in the process of assembling some oilfield parts. The employee

had a small piece of pipe about 3' high and was in the process of attaching another piece approximately 500 lbs. with an 18" diameter to the upright stationary pipe. As the employee lowered the piece with an overhead crane, he began to place the piece inside the stationary pipe and bolt together. The pipe was disconnected from the crane and then the employee noticed that the bolt holes were not lined up. The employee began to reposition the pipe when the pipe slipped it amputated his pinky finger, ring finger and middle finger in the left hand.


• Employee was operating the overhead crane (fitter) and the injured employee was welding with his back to the fitter. The crane operator/fitter was using the crane to lift a 4'x3'x12" wide beam assembly but the crane was not centered over the load, causing the load to swing when lifted. The swinging beam assembly struck the bulkhead assembly behind the injured employee and the bulkhead assembly fell over and hit the welder's body and legs suffering a simple fracture in one ankle and a compound fracture in the other leg.• Chain on a crane and a bow failed and one end of the beam fell hitting a

molten zinc vat and caused a splash striking employee and burning through the coveralls causing third-degree burns and second-degree burns, in abdomen area and other burns.


• An employee was picking up a 24 inch valve with an overhead crane. The valve fell striking the employee on the foot.• Employee was observing rigging operation when rigging hook became

caught on something and when it came apart it hit employee in the face causing a skull sinus fracture. • Employee suffered an amputation to the 3rd and 4th fingertips on his

left hand. He was operating a jib crane to raise the door of a blowout preventer when an approximately 150 lb piston slid out of it striking his hand.


• A mechanic was at machine when a machinist asked to borrow the 10-ton overhead gantry crane. As the machinist moved the crane, the hook struck the mechanic in the head. Later he had a headache and blurry vision and was admitted to the hospital.• Employees were attempting to lubricate pinion gears on an overhead

crane bridge drive. To prevent overspray employee held a blue shop rag behind the pinion gear being lubricated while the other employee sprayed the lubricant. Employee had other employee move the bridge forward using the crane pendent control so that he could lubricate the entire gear and employees finger was pinched between the pinion gear and the drive wheel.


• An employee was working on a crane motor. As the motor was started it back fired through the exhaust where the employee was standing. He jumped off the crane chassis about 4' to the floor and fractured his left knee and he was admitted to the hospital.• The employee dropped the plate that he was carrying with a crane

turning his body quickly causing him to fracture his left foot. • Employee was separating steel bundles with an overhead crane when

the rigging of one bundle shifted causing the right index finger of the employee to be caught and crushed.


• Employees were working on board a vessel loading 5'x10' steel plates on to the vessel. The ship's crane was loading the plates inside the vessel and the workers were assisting with unloading it. During the operation, on of the employees put his hand between two plates and two of his fingers got pinched. He pulled away and left middle ring finger tip was partially severed (degloving).• A load of steel pipes were being lowered into a barge. The employee

attempted to direct the load of steel pipes and his right arm and hand was pinned between the barge and the steel pipes. He sustained multiple fractures.


• Worker had rigged a draft of pipes in the hatch of a cargo ship and was proceeding to the designated safe area. Before she made it to the safe area, the draft was being picked and started to spin. Another worker ran and tackled her before she could be struck by the pipe. They both fell approximately 4 feet. One worker suffered 3 broken ribs and a collapsed lung and the other suffered a concussion and head laceration.• Employee was in the process of disconnecting a set of spreader bars

from a crane while working on the dock. During the process, an extension bar gained momentum and struck the employee, knocking the employee to the ground resulting in a head injury.


• Employee was in the cargo hold of a ship hooking a crane hook onto bundles of rebar. Two bundles of rebar got stuck together so they lowered the bundles down and the employee cut the two bundles from each other using bolt cutters. There was still some tension on one of the pieces of rebar and when the employee cut the bundle strap it swung, hitting and breaking his lower leg. • An employee and a couple of other workers were removing a 12 inch

section of cargo pipe and a 12 inch valve with a crane. When they lifted the section of the pipe, the section swung and the valve hit an employee. He fell to the deck and was injured.


• Employee was moving metal plates with a pendant control crane. The plate swung and struck the employee and pinned him against another plate. The metal plate, 100" x 278 inches weighed approximately 4000 pounds. Employee received injuries to his stomach.• An employee was removing material out of an area in warehouse

using a carry deck crane. As the employee was backing out of the space his elbow was caught between a pole and the carry deck causing laceration and nerve damage to the elbow.


• Employee was working atop hopper car, replacing running board bolts. He was wearing a harness and lanyard, but does not appear to have been secured to the car. At the same time, a second employee had a need to utilize the overhead (OH) crane. Before operating the crane, this second employee reviewed the permit that was attached to the crane control showing an employee to be working atop said hopper car. He went to the car the employee was reported to be atop of, and did not see him. He then looked at other cars the crane would be passing over, and did not identify anyone working atop those cars either. At this point he began to move the crane west (away from the employee) and secured the welding machine to be moved. Once the machine was attached and lifted just off the ground, the load was moved east (toward the employee). As the crane passed over the car in which the employee was atop of he fell down about 16' to the ground fracturing ankles and a leg.


Questions?• Houston North Area Office Joann Figueroa, Area Director

Jim Shelton, CAS690 S. Loop 336 W., Suite 400Conroe, TX 77304

[email protected]

• Keep up to date with the Houston North Area Office email list. Contact Jim Shelton at the above email

mailto:[email protected]

Disclaimer

• This information has been developed by an OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist and is intended to assist employers, workers, and others as they strive to improve workplace health and safety. While we attempt to thoroughly address specific topics [or hazards], it is not possible to include discussion of everything necessary to ensure a healthy and safe working environment in a presentation of this nature. Thus, this information must be understood as a tool for addressing workplace hazards, rather than an exhaustive statement of an employer’s legal obligations, which are defined by statute, regulations, and standards. Likewise, to the extent that this information references practices or procedures that may enhance health or safety, but which are not required by a statute, regulation, or standard, it cannot, and does not, create additional legal obligations. Finally, over time, OSHA may modify rules and interpretations in light of new technology, information, or circumstances; to keep apprised of such developments, or to review information on a wide range of occupational safety and health topics, you can visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.

Jim Shelton Houston North Area Office Crane Incidents Overview Houston Area.

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