-
What happened?
During the setup of a telescopic service rig, the raising ram buckled. This caused the top section of the mast, which was almost fully extended, to drop out of the bottom section and fall. Damage to the rig was extensive.
While no injuries occurred in this serious incident, it could have easily resulted in serious injury or loss of life.
-
Why did it happen?
- A worker removed a rope that was caught in the spring-loaded stabilizers and inadvertently moved the stabilizers (human error) just before the mast raising. The stabilizers ensure lateral movement of the ram is kept to a minimum.
- If the raising ram is not held in position by the stabilizers, its lifting capacity is reduced by up to 75% and, therefore, does not have the power to hold the mast section.
- NOTE: Something that went right was that during the mast raising, the workers remained out of the exclusion zone under and in front of the derrick.
-
What did they learn?
- Ensure telescopic rigs are equipped with a mechanism to raise the mast that has capacity to fail safely if a human error or mistake is made.
- Review the safety-critical procedure with the entire crew before raising the mast.
- Clean, inspect and lubricate the raising ram stabilizers. Stabilizers must be 100% perpendicular. If they are not, stop work and notify your supervisor immediately.
- Ensure a supervisor is present and observing safety-critical tasks.
-
Ask yourself or your crew
How can we prevent something like this from happening here?
What are other risks are associated with forklift operations? How can you mitigate those risks at your work site?
What safety recommendations should be included in the operational instructions?
How can we, as a company, implement a practical training plan that focuses on the job position, and make sure pedestrians are safer from forklifts in the future?
Add to homescreen
Content name
Select existing category:
Content name
New collection
Edit collection
What happened?
During the setup of a telescopic service rig, the raising ram buckled. This caused the top section of the mast, which was almost fully extended, to drop out of the bottom section and fall. Damage to the rig was extensive.
While no injuries occurred in this serious incident, it could have easily resulted in serious injury or loss of life.
Why did it happen?
- A worker removed a rope that was caught in the spring-loaded stabilizers and inadvertently moved the stabilizers (human error) just before the mast raising. The stabilizers ensure lateral movement of the ram is kept to a minimum.
- If the raising ram is not held in position by the stabilizers, its lifting capacity is reduced by up to 75% and, therefore, does not have the power to hold the mast section.
- NOTE: Something that went right was that during the mast raising, the workers remained out of the exclusion zone under and in front of the derrick.
What did they learn?
- Ensure telescopic rigs are equipped with a mechanism to raise the mast that has capacity to fail safely if a human error or mistake is made.
- Review the safety-critical procedure with the entire crew before raising the mast.
- Clean, inspect and lubricate the raising ram stabilizers. Stabilizers must be 100% perpendicular. If they are not, stop work and notify your supervisor immediately.
- Ensure a supervisor is present and observing safety-critical tasks.
Ask yourself or your crew
How can we prevent something like this from happening here?
What are other risks are associated with forklift operations? How can you mitigate those risks at your work site?
What safety recommendations should be included in the operational instructions?
How can we, as a company, implement a practical training plan that focuses on the job position, and make sure pedestrians are safer from forklifts in the future?
During the setup of a telescopic service rig, the raising ram buckled, causing the top section of the mast to drop out of the bottom section and fall. Damage to the rig was extensive. No injuries but potential for serious injuries.
