Frank Boettcher wrote:
On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:22:10 -0500, dpb wrote:

Frank Boettcher wrote:
...

So how many people should it take to get hurt using an ill advised
"safety" device before either OSHA or the manufacturer would be moved
to specify or make something that works?
...

In my previous life in the (nuclear and fossil) power generation and
coal mining/preparation industries, only one. Any lost time accident or
injury requiring medical treatment was fully investigated for root cause
and mitigative or corrective action(s). If there was a problem w/ a
design of equipment, it or a procedure would be modified to alleviate
the issue...

The poster indicated that following a bad reg because it is in the
OSHA federal register would provide the pressure to get something
changed. Therefore my question, because I think not.

Most were first aid cases, not lost time or recordables. For it to be
a recordable it would have to required off premises medical attention
or a prescription. And recordables wether they be lost time or not,
were investigated. Root cause was the use of "safety" latches on a
250 ton hook. latches removed, problem solved......However, that
solution was not going to satisfy the OSHA people.

My perspective is from the point of view of one who handled the
cables, and later as one who was responsible for making those lifts in
a safe manner.

You ever try to modify a crane component to make it better. You have
just relieved the manufacturer from all liability for any future
incidents. On one particular lift, I worked with the manufacturer of
those bridge cranes to do some modifications to make a single lift
that would be over capacity. They did all the Engineering
calculations and work, supervised the modifications, then on the day
of the lift, they faxed in a disclaimer for anything that might happen
as a result of the lift. Took the money though.

Who were you with BTW. could it have been Combustion Engineering?

I agree on the previous that OSHA tends not to change w/o massive push.
Am surprised could have gotten the "remove latch" solution through a
safety committee even though understand that certainly removed the
proximate cause. Would have thought the solution more likely to have
been regarding alternate lifting procedure to remove hands from direct
proximity...

Also agree that no engineering firm would accept any responsibility for
a modified piece of safety equipment, no matter how minor nor benign the
modification appeared. Liability just too great and the lawyers and/or
field inspectors for OSHA, etc., have _no_ sense of humor (or
perspective, often, either). NRC didn't, either...

My vendor experience was w/ Babcock & Wilcox although knew a bunch of
guys from C-E.

-dpb

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