A crane has collapsed, with only minor injuries to workers that could be treated at the company’s nurse’s office. Depending on the level of care, the injuries may make the mishap reportable in that sense, but regardless it should be investigated as a near-miss mishap since employees could have been severely injured or killed. Additionally, there is word that OSHA has been called by an employee complaining that this is an imminent danger situation. Although supervisors, engineers, and I as the EH&S professional are assessing the damage, the first thing that should additionally be done is to cordon off the area to any other workers and discontinue further work with the crane until the danger can be determined. I would leave the engineers to
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I would continue interviewing employees and investigating the mishap through other means, gathering information on the crane such as load testing records, periodic inspection records, maintenance records, owner’s manuals, and company policy. I would try to determine if the load was more than the crane was rated for. If this was the case I would try to find out who knew of this discrepancy and allowed the operation to go on regardless. If the company performs voluntary self-audits, I would check them to see if there is any information regarding the crane, the area, or the operation involved. I would also gather training records for employees involved. I would gather the OSHA 300 and 300A logs to see if there was any past mishap info regarding the crane, area, or operations. Lastly, I would refer back with the engineers to see if they have come to a conclusion on the risk from and the damage to the crane. If an inspector arrived, I would greet them professionally, alert management and an employee representative, and convene the opening conference. I would ask to see the inspector’s credentials and ask for the information on the imminent danger complaint. I would want to know what the inspector plans on looking at, what records they need, and what measures they will take during the inspection such as interviewing employees. I will not produce any information to the inspector until it is asked for, unless it would help to bring a good light on the
I would continue interviewing employees and investigating the mishap through other means, gathering information on the crane such as load testing records, periodic inspection records, maintenance records, owner’s manuals, and company policy. I would try to determine if the load was more than the crane was rated for. If this was the case I would try to find out who knew of this discrepancy and allowed the operation to go on regardless. If the company performs voluntary self-audits, I would check them to see if there is any information regarding the crane, the area, or the operation involved. I would also gather training records for employees involved. I would gather the OSHA 300 and 300A logs to see if there was any past mishap info regarding the crane, area, or operations. Lastly, I would refer back with the engineers to see if they have come to a conclusion on the risk from and the damage to the crane. If an inspector arrived, I would greet them professionally, alert management and an employee representative, and convene the opening conference. I would ask to see the inspector’s credentials and ask for the information on the imminent danger complaint. I would want to know what the inspector plans on looking at, what records they need, and what measures they will take during the inspection such as interviewing employees. I will not produce any information to the inspector until it is asked for, unless it would help to bring a good light on the