On April 9, 2007 an Outside Plant Technician was seriously injured while attempting to remove a plant placer that had become stuck in mud.

Verizon construction crews were dispatched to a rural Rhode Island worksite with two diggers and a plant placer. While positioning the vehicles to set a pole one digger (70- appox 33,000lbs) became stuck in the mud while the plant placer (42-appox 33,000lbs) also become stuck approximately 80 feet in front of and to the right of the digger. Multiple attempts to free the placer failed.

The four technicians at the location decided to set up a system of snatch blocks using the bed winch of the digger to free the plant placer. They attached the bed winch to a snatch block that they secured to a tree using a 7/16 inch construction chain (working load 1700 lbs). They continued the winch line to another tree and block which was secured using a ½ inch construction chain (working load 4500 lbs). They than attached the winch line to the plant placer.

The technician who was injured positioned himself behind the digger’s outrigger which placed him on the inside angle of the tensioned winch line. As he began to pull on the bed winch the 7/16 inch chain that held the block onto the first tree broke causing the winch line to act like a bow striking the outrigger which than caused the block to whip around the outrigger striking the technician on the foot and ankle causing a broken ankle. This incident could have resulted in more serious injuries. Know the limitations of the equipment and tools you are using. Inspect your equipment prior to use and never use any broken or defective equipment. Contact National Fleet Support Center with any vehicle issues.

Larry Savarese/Verizon Safety