Preventing Worker Injuries And Deaths From Mobile Crane Tip Over Boom Collapse And Uncontrolled Hoisted Loads

Crane Safety on Construction Sites (ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 93) was written to aid the construction industry in the management of crane operations. Crane operations in construction range from unloading and setting equipment on a one-time basis to using numerous cranes that perform multiple tasks on larger complex projects. This manual addresses these variables by clearly defining and assigning crane management responsibilities. It discusses issues such as safety plans, responsibilities, supervision and management, operations, training, manufacture, crane safety devices, and regulations in some detail as they relate to crane management. Appendixes are provided that list additional resources, manufacturers of crane safety devices, and explore case studies of crane accidents.

Objective: Develop a mobile manipulator that one person can use to lift and maneuver 50- to 600-pound loads. It can be used in maintenance shops and mines to reduce lifting accidents. Background: Lifting heavy items is one of the leading causes of injury in the workplace. Mine Safety and Health Administration statistics showed that, in 2004, back injuries accounted for over 20% of all injuries (1,699 cases) and resulted in 110,000 lost days of work. Forty-one percent of those injuries resulted from materials-handling or maintenance activities. In addition to back injuries, lifting injuries include hernias, ruptures, sprains, and strains resulting from losing control of the item being lifted. Factors associated with accidents are weight of the item being lifted, awkward postures, inadequate handholds, and the working environment itself. High accident rates were noted when lifting items that ranged from 50 to 600 pounds, particularly in tight working quarters where maneuverability was critical. Research indicated that a mobile lifting arm would eliminate many lifting accidents in environments where other lifting devices (fork lifts, overhead cranes, mobile A-frames) would not be practical. NIOSH has built a first-generation mobile manipulator unit designed to be used on hard, level floors such as in a shop. The complexity of motion, number of moving parts, compact design, and design constraints of the manipulator required advanced computer-aided design work. As a result of the design work, thirty-eight claims are included in the patent applications. NIOSH will be conducting field trails and working with manufacturers to put the manipulator into industrial use. Operating the Mobile Manipulator: The mobile manipulator is a self-propelled, battery-powered lifting arm mounted on a central turret that allows full rotation. To operate, a worker trams the unit into position for the lifting task and deploys stab-jacks for leveling and stabilizing. The linkage system is designed to allow the operator to guide heavy loads precisely; for example, sliding a 200-pound gear assembly onto a shaft where alignment and damage to equipment are critical considerations. Although the operator needs only 10 pounds of pressure to lift the load, the momentum of moving the load can create a need for braking, and so the operator has hand brakes to stop arm and turret movement immediately. The ease of tramming and steering, along with the small size of the manipulator, allows operators to stow the unit conveniently close by without interfering with ongoing operations."--NIOSHTIC-2.

Many American workers, regardless of industry or occupation, are exposed to fall hazards daily during performance of their job tasks. This publication describes the magnitude of the problem of occupational falls in the U.S., identifies potential risk factors for fatal injury, and provides recommendations for developing effective safety programs to reduce the risk of fatal falls. This publication summarizes surveillance data and investigative reports of fatal work-related falls from elevations. The surveillance data were derived from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance system maintained by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The NTOF data are based on death certificates for workers aged 16 years or older who died from traumatic injuries in the workplace. The fatality investigations were conducted as part of the NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program, a research program for the identification and investigation of fatal occupational injuries. The goal of the FACE program is to collect information on factors that may have contributed to occupational fatalities, using an epidemiologic approach, and to develop and disseminate recommendations for prevention of similar incidents in the future. Based on the NTOF surveillance data, falls from elevations were the fourth leading cause of occupational fatalities from 1980 through 1994. The 8,102 deaths due to falls from elevations accounted for 10% of all fatalities and an average of 540 deaths per year. Between 1982 and 1997, NIOSH investigated 90 falls incidents which resulted in 91 fatalities. Part I of this publication provides an overview of fall hazards in the workplace, a summary of the epidemiology of fatal occupational falls, and recommended elements for an effective safety program for the prevention of falls in the workplace. Part II contains case summaries and prevention recommendations from all 90 FACE fall investigation reports prepared by NIOSH for further information and reference. This publication reviews what is known about occupational fatalities due to falls from elevations, identifies common risk factors and exposures, and recommends general approaches to preventing these fatal events. Our hope is that this document will serve as a valuable resource for safety and public health professionals, safety and health trainers, and researchers, prompting further injury prevention efforts to reduce fatal falls in the workplace.