Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125829903 - Eureka Engineering Dept - Waste Water Trmt Plant

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

On September 7, 2004, Employee #1, a utility worker of Waste Water Treatment Plant in Eureka, California, was operating a floating dredge that removes sludge from the treatment ponds. To move the dredge, the wire ropes were moved to different positions on the treatment pond. That was accomplished by increasing or decreasing tension on the cables with the hand operated winches. There were four winches, one at each corner of the pond. Employee #1 was using the handle to crank a cable to a new location when the handle struck him in the face and leg. Employee #1 fractured his face, and four of his teeth were knocked out of his jaw. Employee #1 was hospitalized. It appears that Employee #1's hand slipped off the handle or he lost grip on the handle, allowing it to turn freely. All four winches were in good operating condition. No mechanical defects were discovered after that accident.

Keywords: FRACTURE, WIRE ROPE, WASTE PROC FAC, STRUCK BY, FACE, LOST CONTROL, WINCH, SLUDGE, LEG, WATER