Date of incident: April 2022
Notice of incident number: 2022186450002
Employer: Steel manufacturer

Incident summary
At a steel manufacturing facility, a worker was operating a gantry (overhead) crane equipped with a chain and hook to lift a 907 kg (2000 lb.) steel coil (coil of steel strip) that was stored upright on the ground. The worker was seriously injured when the hook caught on the steel coil, which became unbalanced and struck the worker.

Investigation conclusions

Cause

• Steel coil tipped and struck worker. The worker lowered an L-shaped hook between two steel coils that were not adequately secured. When the worker pressed the up button on the remote control, the L-shaped hook inadvertently caught the inside of one of the coils, unbalancing it and causing it to tip over.

Contributing factors

• Inadequate storage of steel coils. Two steel rods were placed parallel to each other on the ground approximately 23.5 cm (9¼ in.) apart, and the coils were stored upright between the two steel rods. This system of using steel rods to store the steel coils did not prevent the coils from tipping over. A rack system would have prevented inadvertent movement of the coils.
• Hazard identification and risk assessment process not followed. The potential for the steel coils to tip over was not properly assessed. The employer had a hazard assessment process in place; however, it was not followed in this case. In the work area where the worker was injured, steel coils were susceptible to tipping over. The risk of serious injury resulting from the steel coils tipping over was not adequately assessed and controlled.
• Worker positioning. The worker was in an unsafe position as he was standing too close to the steel coils. The dislodging of the steel coil and the worker’s proximity to the coil allowed the worker to be struck.

Other health and safety issues

• Lack of safety latch on lifting hook. There was no safety latch at the end of the L-shaped hook to secure the coil during lifting operations, contrary to the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation and the employer’s health and safety program.

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