Site Safety
Site Safety
(OP)
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RE: Site Safety
ASCE has a pretty good video course on excavation safety, covering OSHA regs, principles, etc. It's ~$500 well spent if you have inspectors and geologists in excavations.
RE: Site Safety
RE: Site Safety
OSHA's Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Area Office investigated a fatality at the site of a newly-constructed administration building. A subcontractor had been hired to install a security fence. On the day of the incident, one post hole was left to be dug. All of the previous post holes had been dug on disturbed construction soil, but the last hole was in a landscaped area covered with mulch. The investigation revealed that the operator did not inspect the area where this last hole was to be dug before drilling and, therefore, was not aware of the landscape fabric beneath the mulch. Consequently, the landscape fabric was not cut to accommodate the 16-inch auger before drilling. Additionally, although the 1961 truck-mounted auger was originally equipped with a platform, it had been removed years before this incident, forcing the operator to stand on the mulch while operating the auger. The accompanying operator's instruction manual did not mention the existence of the platform as a standard piece of equipment for the auger, nor did it refer to it as a safety feature. Newer truck-mounted augers are equipped with a seated operator's control work station mounted on the vehicle. This is a standard configuration for products of this type. Additionally, the accompanying manufacturer's operating manual reflects safe practices for operating the auger from the operator's control station. Although the operator's station removes the operator from the ground, its use does not eliminate the hazard to nearby helpers working on the ground.
In this accident, as the rotating auger penetrated the mulch, it entangled the landscape fabric under the mulch and drew it into itself. The operator lost his footing and was drawn into the point of operation where the auger entered the soil. The operator sustained severe injuries including the amputation of both legs and he later died as a result of these injuries.
http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib041608a.html
Sadder as it was likely a lot more painful and he was doing something less risky than being in an unshored deep trench. I don't mean to speak ill of the dead, but it sounds like the English guy was just asking to get killed.
RE: Site Safety
I don't know what the answer is. For instance how could we prevent the incident you described? retrofit a guarded auger? Hand dig the first 1000mm? Make all rigs remotely operated retrofitted again?
I dunno, it's just a timely reminder to think about all our actions onsite, regardless of how experienced we think we are.
Regardless of the cause / fault, their still someone's partner or son. Just very sad.
RE: Site Safety
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,421781,00.html
RE: Site Safety
and yes, when people are down in these trenches, they are asking for trouble. by the way, as engineers when you see something like that, i suggest you inform everyone you can that they should not be in there...apparently litigation can be an ugly thing when someone is killed and a civil engineer was standing there, walking by or knew that unsafe conditions existed and did nothing to warn everyone.
and soiledup, i've never even thought about that particular scenario. just goes to show that there's no such thing as a "no brainer" in our line of work.
RE: Site Safety
RE: Site Safety
RE: Site Safety