OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14198006
R F ANDERSON & ASSOCIATES TOWER CO
SHARPTOWN, MD—
Event description
FALL FROM LOAD HOISTLINE EMPLOYEE WAS RIDING
Investigation abstract
AN ANTENNA AND ASSOCIATED FITTINGS WERE BEING INSTALLED ON THE SIDE OF AN EXISTI OF THE TOWER. THE FIRST EMPLOYEE WAS APPROXI- MATELY 980 FEET HIGH AND THE SECO ND EMPLOYEE WAS APPROXIMATELY 480 FEET HIGH WHEN THE TOP HOISTING GRIP BROKE. TH E FALLING ANTENNA CABLE EITHER STRUCK THE SECOND EMPLOYEE OR THE MOVEMENT OF THE CABLE CAUSED HIM TO FALL FROM HIS SAFETY BELT. HE FELL 480 FEET TO HIS DEATH. T HE FIRST EMPLOYEE WAS NOT INJURED. NG 1,000 FT HIGH TELEVISION TRANSMITTING TOWER. A 5/16" DIAMETER WIRE ROPE HOIST LINE WAS RIGGED TO THE TOWER AT BOTTOM AND TOP FROM A TRUCK MOUNTED DRUM HOIST. ONE EMPLOYEE WAS SITTING IN A BOSUN CHAIR ATTACHED TO THE HOIST LINE. ANOTHER E MPLOYEE WAS USING A SAFETY BELT & LANYARD AS A BOSUN CHAIR. A 7/8" DIAMETER ANTE NNA COAXIAL CABLE WAS ATTACHED TO THE HOIST LINE AT THE SAME SPOT AS WERE THE BO SUN CHAIR AND THE SAFETY BELT. THE COAXIAL ANTENNA CABLE HAD A HOISTING GRIP CON STRUCTED OF WOVEN WIRE (CHINESE FINGER) ATTACHED TO THE ANTENNA CABLE AND TO THE 5/16" HOIST LINE. THE EMPLOYEES AND ANTENNA CABLE WERE THEN HOISTED UP THE SIDE
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 23 M
- Nature of injury
- 21
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 5
- Source
- 24
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 10
- Environmental factor
- 6
- Task assigned
- 1
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