Report summary and highlights
On May 7, 2019, a 49-year-old laborer was killed while assisting in moving a large stone slab to be stored on an A-frame rack. He was positioned between two A-frame racks, trying to disconnect the slab lifter, when he was crushed between two large stone slabs.
| Incident highlights | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 7, 2019 |
| Time | 1 p.m. |
| Victim | 49-year-old laborer |
| Industry/NAICS Code | Cut Stone & Stone Product Manufacturing /327991 |
| Employer | Stone slab product fabrication company |
| Safety & Training | Employer provided PPE and some on-the-job training |
| Scene | Company showroom and manufacturing facility |
| Location | Massachusetts |
| Event Type | Crushing |
Contributing factors
Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include:
- Not using the slab rack’s safety posts;
- Victim position within the fall shadow;
- Forklift operator lacked training and state license;
- Job hazard analysis for moving stone slabs was not performed;
- Standard operating procedures for moving stone slabs were not developed; and
- Lack of a safety and health program and overall safety training.
Recommendations
Massachusetts FACE Program concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:
- Use slab racks designed with fixed safety posts and individual compartments for each slab;
- Ensure that employees are never located in the fall shadow of a stone slab while the slab is being accessed to be moved;
- Ensure that only employees with the required OSHA training and state license are permitted to operate forklifts;
- Ensure that a job hazard analysis is performed for all routine tasks and updated when needed; and
- Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOP) for moving, storing, and retrieving stone slabs, which includes ensuring employees are never located in the fall zone.
Downloads
| Date published: | December 2, 2021 |
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