An amputation at a job site has resulted in 18 serious safety citations against a Wisconsin precast concrete product manufacturer – many of them for violations of OSHA’s standards on cranes and derricks in construction.

The penalties for County Materials Corp. arose from an incident in which  a truck driver had his foot severed and femur crushed at an Elderon, Wisc. job site on Sept. 19, 2013. OSHA's investigation determined the incident occurred when a cable on a trolley boom crane broke, pinning the driver against a concrete riser.

Leading cause of injuries

"Struck-by hazards are one of the leading causes of injuries for construction and transportation workers. Each day, County Materials has a responsibility to train and protect its workers from hazards that they will encounter," said Robert Bonack, OSHA's area director in Appleton.

Eighteen serious safety citations involve failing to establish safe work practices when placing precast concrete material; inspect trolley boom cranes and wire ropes; equip trolley boom cranes with a crane level indicator, boom angle or radius indicator; ensure materials are rigged by a qualified rigger; and ensure employees are trained in the safe operation of trolley boom cranes to prevent inadvertent disconnection of the load. The company was also cited for placing employees close to suspended loads.

Multiple citations

OSHA has proposed fines of $56,700. The Plover-based company employs approximately 1,250 workers at multiple Wisconsin locations. OSHA has inspected County Materials eight times since 2001 and has issued multiple citations.