Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for California: Electrician Apprentice Dies When His Neck is Crushed By a Scissor Lift

摘要

A 26-year old electrician apprentice (decedent) died when the scissor lift he was moving inadvertently raised causing his neck to be crushed between the top guard rail and the underside of the top of an opening in a concrete wall. The decedent was cleaning out bore holes in the concrete wall in anticipation of running conduit through them. The employee was given a ladder for the job, but obtained a scissor lift from another employer. He was moving the lift over a piece of plywood placed on top of bent-over reinforcing steel (rebar). As he was moving the scissor lift through an opening in the wall and over the plywood, the lift platform inadvertently raised and his neck became trapped. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future occurrences, employers should: (1) ensure working surfaces are stable and level when moving equipment over them. (2) ensure instruction in equipment operation includes remote operation. (3) ensure employees do not borrow and use equipment for which they are not authorized to use. Additionally, manufacturers should: (4) design equipment controls that are protected from inadvertent operation.