Crane Operator Killed By Falling Steel Beam, Oregon

SUMMARY

A 40-year old crane operator was killed when a 35-foot (5600 lb) H-beam fell crushing the crane cab and striking him in the head. During a pile driving operation, the H-beam pile had been placed in a drilled 25-foot hole. While using a vibratory hammer to force the pile further into the hole, the pile shifted. After several failed attempts to correctly position the pile it was extracted using the hydraulic clamp of the vibratory hammer and moved 12 feet from the hole. It 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. The 5600lb pile fell, struck and crushed the crane cab, and killed the operator.

Crane Operator Killed By Falling Steel Beam, Oregon [PDF 2,591 KB]