Sheedy Drayage Co.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Jul 26, 2007: Employee injured in fall through hole in elevated platform

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on July 26, 2007, Employee #1, an ironworker, was re moving a piece of an elevated platform at the Lockheed Martin facility in Sunnyv ale, CA, when he tripped and fell through a hole in the platform. He dropped 30 ft onto a graded surface, sustaining fractured ribs and injuries to his back. Em ployee #1 was transported to Stanford Medical Center, where he was admitted for treatment.

Incident on Jun 22, 2006 (fatal): Employee is killed when heavily loaded crane tips over

At approximately 1:21 p.m. on June 22, 2006, Employee #1 was working for Sheedy Drayage, a heavy construction equipment rental firm in Livermore, TX. He was the operator of a Terex Model T-775 mobile hydraulic truck crane, with Sheedy Equip ment Number C-31 and Vehicle Identification Number 13558. At approximately 1:20 p.m., the crane was put into service to lift a 44,775-pound reel of cable. The c rane's load-side outriggers were fully retracted; the rear outriggers were fully extended; the crane's counterweight was 7,000 lbs; the boom length was 54 feet, 9.5 inches; the boom angle was 73.29 degrees; and the load radius was 15 feet, 9 inches. In this configuration, the maximum rated load for the crane, stated on page 75 of the manufacturer's load charts, was 14,000 lbs. Based on the manufac turer's load rating, the crane was overloaded by 30,775 lbs. When Employee #1 at tempted to make the pick in the presence of management, the crane tipped toward the load, and the rear outriggers rose off the ground about three feet. At appro ximately 1:21 p.m., the crane was put back into service, again in the presence o f management, and with the same configuration as before. The crane had the same load, beyond its safe working load, that was apparent when the crane tipped on t he first pick attempt. When Employee #1 lifted the load the second time, the cra ne tipped again and fell over toward the load side. The crane's cab was crushed against a lowboy trailer. Employee #1's hips were crushed, and he was killed.

Incident on Dec 27, 2005: Employee's arm is amputated in fall from personnel hoist

At approximately 4:50 p.m. on December 27, 2005, Employee #1 and a coworker were traveling up in an Alimak 4000 construction personnel hoist, when the elevator began to emit loud screaming noises. Employee #1 attempted to stop the hoist by operating the emergency switch but it did not work. He then began moving other l evers and still the elevator car continued moving upward at a high rate of speed . For unknown reasons, he opened the elevator door, reached his arm out the door , and fell 30 feet to the ground. His right arm was amputated and he was hospita lized. The elevator continued moving upward until it crashed into the top of the mast.

Incident on Dec 14, 2005: Employee fractures hand when struck by falling object

On December 14, 2005, Employee #1 and a crew of ironworkers were erecting a Lieb herr 550 ECH tower crane. During the assembling of the crane, the hoist brake fa iled, causing a single tower section, which weighed approximately 10,000 pounds, to fall. Employee #1's hand was struck by the falling section, fracturing his m iddle finger. He was taken to a medical center. At the hospital, he underwent su rgical procedures to repair the damages sustained in the accident. Following the surgical procedures, he was hospitalized for postoperative care. The cause of t he accident was cited as a removed or inoperable safety device.