Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Washington State: A 16-Year-Old Worker Dies When Struck by a Portable Gantry Crane used as an Engine Hoist

摘要

In August of 2003, a 16-year-old male employee died when he was struck by a portable gantry crane used as an engine hoist while working at a wrecking yard/auto parts company in western Washington State. On the incident day, a wrecking yard customer was using a manually operated portable gantry crane, built by a local metal fabrication shop, to remove an engine and transmission from a salvaged vehicle. A gantry crane is a type of crane which lifts objects by a hoist. This gantry crane had four automobile wheels with pneumatic tires installed on the bottom of the horizontal supports allowing the whole crane to traverse. The customer was having difficulty moving the loaded crane and was aided by the victim. As the customer and the victim were manually moving the gantry crane, it began to roll freely. The crane rolled into a shallow depression, became unbalanced and fell, striking the victim in the head as it toppled over. Witnesses called 911 within moments of the incident. Salvage yard persons attended to the victim until emergency help arrived, but the victim died at the scene.