30.08.2006

Non use of outriggers caused accident

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has said that the failure to deploy outriggers caused the truck mounted lift accident that killed Carlos Flores of Texas in June.

OSHA has cited Houston, Texas-based ABC Professional Tree Services Inc for the accident on June 19th that killed 21-year-old Flores. See tree worker dies testing equipment

The company which was contracted to Duke Energy is likely to receive a $5,000 fine for safety violations found after the accident. Flores fell an estimated six metres -20 feet from utility truck mount's platform after it tipped over while he was performing a daily test of the equipment on Old State Route 74, in Union Township in Claremont County.

The investigation found that the outriggers on the truck-mounted lift had not been extended and set before Flores tried to test the equipment.

Lawyers for ABC Professional plan to appeal the citations, according to company president Rocio Jasso.

Duke Energy spokesman Steve Brash said the electricity company works with all of its tree-trimming contractors to make sure they comply with the company's safety practices and standards. "We did an extensive safety stand-down with ABC following that incident to reinforce all of our safety standards with them," he said.