Industrial Case Overviews

A description of nine industrial accident scenarios and some of the related issues:

1. Body part in machine
2. Fall at construction site
3. Object falling on top of construction worker
4. Power tools
5. Slips, trips, falls and back injuries
6. Accidents involving heavy construction equipment
7. Shipyard Worker Accident
8. Seaman Back Injury
9. Loading Crane Accident

Scenario 1: Body part in machine

An operator gets his hand caught in a machine and receives a mutilating injury.

Issues:

• Would changes in machinery design or guarding or operator instructions have prevented the injury?
  
• What was the mechanism of injury, and does it agree with the operator or witness descriptions?
  

Scenario 2: Fall at construction site

A construction worker fell through a floor opening and sustained a severe head injury.

Issues:

• What was the mechanism of injury?
  
• Would protective clothing, helmet, or restraining harness have prevented or mitigated the injury?
  
• Does the injury mechanism agree with the description of how the fall occurred?
  
• What other measures would have prevented the fall?
  

Scenario 3: Object falling on top of construction worker

A construction worker was struck on the head and shoulder by a piece of wood falling from above and received head and shoulder injuries.

Issues:

• What was the mechanism of injury?
  
• Do the injuries claimed correlate with the forces applied to the body by the falling object.
  
• What measures would have prevented or mitigated the injuries?
  
• Do the injury mechanisms and injuries correspond to the description of the injured party and other witnesses.
  

Scenario 4: Power tools

A man operating a power saw cuts off a portion of his hand.

Issues:

• What was the mechanism of injury?
  
• Does it agree with the description of the operator?
  
• What measures would have prevented the accident?
  
• Were there defects in the machine or operating instructions?
  

Scenario 5: Slips, trips, falls and back injuries

A woman was attempting to move a box when she slipped, fell and injured her back.

Issues:

• What was the mechanism of injury?
  
• Does the mechanism agree with the description of the injured party and witness?
  
• Did a slippery surface or other environmental hazard contribute to the fall?
  
• What role did any prior musculoskeletal problems play in occurrence of the injury?
  

Scenario 6: Accidents involving heavy construction equipment

A construction worker was struck in the head by the operator of a backhoe and received fatal head injuries.

Issues:

• What was the mechanism of the head injury?
  
• Where was the injured party positioned prior to impact?
  
• Does the injury mechanism agree with witness testimony?
  
• Did equipment failure or operator action contribute to the injury?
  

Scenario 7: Shipyard Worker Accident

A shipyard worker fell into a cargo hatch and sustained severe injuries.

Issues:

• What were the worker’s kinematics and mechanism of injury?
  
• Were there defects in design, manufacture, or operation of the cargo system?
  
• Were appropriate warnings and safety measures in operation?
  
• Does the accident reconstruction agree with descriptions of the accident?
  
• What measures would have prevented the accident?
  

Scenario 8: Seaman Back Injury

A seaman sustained a herniated disc while pulling on a heavy rope.

Issues:

• What was the biomechanical mechanism of the injury?
  
• Were there predisposing medical factors?
  
• Do the descriptions of the accident agree with the biomechanical reconstruction?
  
• What measures would have prevented the accident?
  

Scenario 9: Loading Crane Accident

A fisherman was hit on the head by a load dropped from a loading crane and sustained severe head injuries.

Issues:

• What was the mechanism of injury?
  
• Was equipment malfunction or operator error a factor in causing the injury?
  
• How could the injury have been prevented?