OSHA cranes and derricks standard

Unsecured Crane Leads to Penalties for Western Specialty Contractors

Jan. 11, 2019
The employee was not trained to properly operate the equipment.

St.Louis, Mo.-based Western Specialty Contractors is facing criminal charges and $155,204 in penalties for exposing employees to serious injuries.

On June 25, 2018, an unsecured mini-crane overturned and fell four stories at a New York City worksite. 

“This employer knowingly put workers at risk by failing to ensure that the crane was operated by a competent person,” said Kay Gee, OSHA’s Manhattan area office director, in a statement.  “Effective training of employees, knowledge of equipment’s limits, and correct operation of equipment are critical to preventing injuries.”

OSHA opened an investigation and cited Western Waterproofing Co. Inc., doing business as Western Specialty Contractors, for not training or evaluating the worker who assigned to operate the crane.

The worker did not verify the weight of the load and operated in excess of its lifting capacity.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has announced a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with Western Specialty and the indictment of the company's project manager.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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