Thursday, February 19, 2015

CRANE OPERATOR FATALITY IN PORTLAND OREGON, AS HE WAS CRUSHED BY A 35-FOOT LONG STEEL BEAM HE WAS LIFTING





FEBRUARY 19, 2015



PORTLAND, OREGON




Officials say a 40-year-old worker from Keizer died Tuesday after a metal beam fell and pierced the cab of the crane he was operating. 




The Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office said Christopher Pierson died of blunt force head trauma.




The cause of the accident, which occurred near the railroad tracks at 301 N.E. Second Ave. at about 5:30 p.m., is under investigation by the Oregon Occupational Safety & Health Division.




Oregon OHSA spokeswoman said Pierson, who worked for Axis Crane for three years, was lifting a 35-long steel beam by its end while building a retaining wall alongside some railway tracks.  The beam detached and sliced into the cab, killing Pierson.




Axis runs an extensive fleet, ranging from boom trucks, to truck and Rough Terrain cranes up to a 500 tonne Demag All Terrain, along with a large lattice crawler fleet up 400 tonnes.