A 72-year-old truck driver hired to transport and deliver a set of pre-cast concrete steps to a residence was crushed by the steps during delivery. The victim was standing on the driver’s side of the truck, using a remote control unit to hoist the stairs off the truck and over the fence when the steps broke loose and fell on him. The victim had secured the steps using a company-manufactured clamping system that consisted of two brackets which attached to opposite sides of the steps and were held together by a chain attached to the loader’s hook at the center. The boom was set on the highest speed so that when the victim stopped the load’s movement the stairs continued to swing and the chain holding the clamps eventually slackened and dropped the 1,500-pound stairs on the operator. Witnesses say the steps were covered with moisture, which may have contributed to allowing the load to slide from the clamps as easily as it did.

Workers must learn to recognize, avoid and prevent unsafe jobsite conditions that expose them to hazards such as this. Jobs involving lifting must be arranged so that an adequate safety zone is established to protect anyone working in the vicinity, including the equipment operator.

Source: Nebraska Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program, Case Report 02NE028