Leola firm fined; crane killed worker ($3,430 fine did not have an important safety feature "stops"

[Omaha Steve]

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/224607

Feds punish Eagle River Homes for lack of safety feature that caused death of 23-year-old employee in May.

By RYAN ROBINSON, Staff
Federal safety officials have ordered a Leola mobile home builder to pay a fine related to an incident in which part of a crane fell on and killed a 23-year-old Leola man in May.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued Eagle River Homes, 21 S. Groffdale Road, a citation for what it calls a "serious" violation and ordered the company to pay a $4,900 fine.

That amount was lowered to $3,430 after a conference with Eagle River, OSHA's acting area director, Charles M. Bole, said today.

David Rettew, 11 Stoltzfus Lane, Leola, was operating a four- to six-ton lift crane for Eagle River Homes on May 6.

At about 3 p.m., part of the crane — a 2,800-pound lifting device — fell 15 to 20 feet onto Rettew, knocking him unconscious and injuring his head, according to East Lampeter police and OSHA reports.

Employees who witnessed the accident provided first aid until emergency medical responders arrived, but Rettew died later at Lancaster General Hospital.

Bole said the crane did not have an important safety feature — "stops" at the end of its tracks — that would have prevented the accident.

FULL story at link.