The Lombardi Law Firm Blog

Construction Site Safety - Crane operator from St. Louis County dies during disassembly

From the Lombardi Law Firm News...

A crane operator’s apprentice was killed in Maryland Heights as he was assisting the operator disassembling the crane. With his harness hooked into the crane’s cable he was pulled into the crane. The young man, Steve Michael Lillicrap was only 21 years-of-age. He was from St. Louis County. The work site was the Edward Jones north campus at Building B-1.

OSHA will inspect to determine the cause and how this could have been prevented. Here is a link and the sources for crane hazard evaluation that OSHA has available to those apprentices working with cranes.

To a crane operator, few experiences can be as frightening as when a crane becomes unbalanced while a load is being lifted or when the crane collapses under the weight of an excessive load. The following references aid in recognizing and evaluating hazards in the workplace.

       Working Outdoors in Warm Climates. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2005, September), 26 KB PDF, 2 pages.

       Key Switch Controlled Elevating and Rotating Aerial Lifts. OSHA Technical Information Bulletin (TIB), (2002, April 11). Also available as a 15 KB PDF, 3 pages. Informs users of aerial lifts that emergency rescue of employees on the lifts can be delayed.

       Crane or Derrick Suspended Personnel Platforms. OSHA Publication 3100, (2002). Also available as a 205 KB PDF, 46 pages.

       Construction Resource Manual: Table of Contents. OSHA. Includes links to various sections on crane and hoist safety.

       DOE-STD-1090-2004; Hoisting and Rigging Standard (Formerly Hoisting and Rigging Manual). US Department of Energy (DOE), (2004, June). Provides a table of contents to a reference document to be used by supervisors, line managers, safety personnel, equipment operators, and any other personnel responsible for safety of hoisting and rigging operations at DOE sites.

       Mobile Crane Inspection Guidelines for OSHA Compliance Officers. OSHA, (1994, June). Provides a generic, non-exhaustive overview of mobile crane inspection guidelines.

       Crane modifications. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (1993, April 19). Discusses hazardous conditions created as a result of modifications for "auger piling" operations.

       Hoist Practices: Better safe than sorry. Industrial Distribution, (2001, October 23). Raises awareness of hoist safety issues and recommends safe work practices.

       Improper Support of an Elevator Car During Installation. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (1995, June 22). OSHA investigated a fatality involving an elevator car sling and platform (these are also known as platforms, car frames and platforms, car slings, car frames, and safety planks) which was improperly supported during the erection and installation of a traction elevator.

       Crane Safety. US Department of Energy (DOE), Occupational Safety Observer, (1993, August). Discusses two separate incidents at DOE sites where cranes became unbalanced, as well as a related industrial incident in which a crane collapsed.

       Crane Safety for the Site Superintendent. OSHA, (1992), Video, 8 minutes. Links to a video that discusses some of the hazards and risks involved in crane operations and identifies information managers should be familiar with if cranes are operating on their site.

       For additional information, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages on:

       Fall Protection

       Machine Guarding

       Scaffolding

OSHA and Crane, Hoist and Monorail Alliance

       Fact Sheet No. 1: Proper Inspection and Maintenance of Overhead Cranes and Hoists. 94 KB DOC^*, 1 page. Describes standards, reference manuals and safety tips for the application and operation of overhead material handling equipment.

       Fact Sheet No. 2: Hoists, Cranes and Pullers - Safety & Warning Labels and Test Certification. 89 KB DOC^*, 1 page. Identifies items that operators and inspectors need to know when purchasing, installing or using hoist, crane and puller equipment. 

       Safety Tips Sheet No. 1: Proper use of Hand Signals for cab-controlled cranes. 300 KB DOC^*, 1 page. Includes nine industry standard hand signals that are used for communication between the operator in the crane’s cab and the floor person.

       Safety Tips Sheet No. 2: Pre-operational equipment check of Cranes and Hoists. 82 KB DOC^*, 1 page. Includes a pre-operational equipment checklist for cranes and hoists.

       Safety Tips Sheet No. 3: Safe Lifting Practices. 87 KB DOC^*, 1 page. Describes safe lifting practices for moving loads of material.

       Safety Tips Sheet No. 4: Hoist Operation. 87 KB DOC^*, 1 page. Describes what an operator should and should not do while operating a hoist.