Crane truck was placed in location and was offload material that required one spotter, two tag lines operators and one person operating the crane arm. The crane truck was parked near a 250,000 volt power line. The move was considered a medium to higher risk operation and a debate discussing what was the safe operating distance. The spotter overseeing the offload was confident that the safe operating distance was 3 meters. No one double checked the regulations to be certain. The Crane truck operator was inexperienced but felt he/she was capable of operating the crane arm safely, providing the spotter and the tag line operators were able to do their job.
The crane truck operator had swung and extended the crane arm out. In doing so, the crane operator observed the crane arm was approaching the safe operating distance which was determined at …show more content…
Triage protocol was in affect:
1st patient- Tag line operator #1 was assessed and had no major injuries… Scratches and bruises found. (Green Tag)
2nd Patient- Tag line operator #2 was found alert, breathing adequately, Circulation present, Smoking glove and 2nd burns to the palm of the right hand; no exit wound found. Worker is RTC due to mechanism of injury. (Red Tag)
3rd Patient- Spotter is unconscious, found face down with absent breathing, absent pulse. Enough man power to start CPR and AED. However all efforts stopped and the AED is taken to patient 4. (A blanket to cover the deceased worker and a student in place as a guard). (Black Tag)
4th Patient- Crane truck operator was found on the ground D-lock (sporadic groaning only), breathing was 8 per min, and radial pulse was absent, Carotid pulse present and racing. O2, assisted vents required. (After one round of “no shock advised” with Patient #3, Patient #4 goes unconscious, absent pulses). CPR and AED introduced…..Gain pulse after one round on AED……(Red