BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT

Three workers were adding tower sections to increase the height of a 

material hoist when it collapsed (see Figure 1). The material hoist was 

acquired from a rental company’s yard, where it had sat idle for about a 

year. One of the workers operated the motor for the carriage. Two of the 

workers gained access to the material hoist to install the tower sections 

by riding on top of the hoist’s carriage or car. They wore body harnesses 

and their lanyards were connected to the gin pole1 of the material hoist. 

When they stopped at the top of the ninth tower section to install an 

additional section, one of the workers disconnected his lanyard from the 

gin pole and connected it to a lifeline which was hanging from the roof 

edge and anchored to a steel beam. The other worker’s lanyard remained 

connected to the gin pole. They felt a drop in the carriage assembly, 

but continued working. The safety chain (see Figure 2) connecting the 

carriage to the tower broke and the safety brakes (i.e., safeties, “dog 

brakes”, car arresting device) did not activate to stop the carriage from 

falling. The carriage fell 90 feet to the ground, the gin pole broke and the 

worker who had his lanyard connected to the gin pole fell to his death. 

Likely Causes of Incident 

•	 Workers were improperly trained on how to erect the material hoist 

and use fall protection.

•	 OSHA’s incident investigation revealed that the material hoist’s 

safety brake system was improperly installed; therefore, it could 

not work. It was also not inspected and tested before use, after not 

being used for about a year.

•	 The manufacturer’s recommendations for erecting the tower were 

not followed:

– The safety chain was wrapped around the tower leg (see Figure 2) 

each time the carriage was stopped to place a tower section. 

– In addition, the safety chain was not welded together at the eye 

bolt connection to the hoist as specified by the manufacturer. 

•	 Workers were allowed to connect their fall protection systems to the 

gin pole of the hoist.

•	 Workers were permitted to ride on top of the hoist’s carriage.

INCIDENT SUMMARY

Incident type: .......................................................................Material hoist collapse

Weather conditions/Time of day: ........................Partly sunny/approx. 1:00 PM

Type of operation: ................................Scaffolding and material hoist erection

Size of work crew: ......................................................................................................3

Worksite inspection conducted: ........................................................................ Yes

Competent safety monitoring on site: .............................................................. Yes

Safety and Health program in effect: ............................................................... Yes

Training and education for workers: ................................................... Inadequate

Occupation of deceased worker............................................... Carpenter/Erector

Age/Sex of deceased worker ............................................................................37/M

Time on job: ......................................................................................... Not Available

Time at task: ................................................................... Approximately 4-5 hours

Time employed/classification (FT/PT/Temporary): ............................... Full time

Language spoken: ......................................................................................... English

Union/Non-Union: ...................................................................................Non-Union

Figure 1: Material hoist collapse

FATALFacts 8 No. 8 – 2014

Material Hoist Collapse

U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

Tower

Base

Collapsed 

carriage or car

Adjacent 

building

Figure 2: The safety chain was 

wrapped around the tower leg 

instead of being connected to the 

bolt plate of the material hoist.

Figure 3: Material hoist

Tower

Base

Carriage or car
DTSEM FF-3718 3/2014

INCIDENT PREVENTION

To prevent similar incidents from occurring employers must:

•	 Train workers on the proper procedures for erecting, inspecting, 

testing and maintaining the material hoist as recommended by the 

manufacturer (29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2)). Workers must also be trained 

on how to recognize fall hazards and protect themselves from those 

hazards (29 CFR 1926.503(a)).

•	 Performing regular maintenance, inspection and testing of 

all functions and safety devices (e.g., safety brake system 

(29 CFR 1926.552(b)(6)), safety chain, hoist cable) of the hoist, 

supervised by a competent person, before putting the hoist in 

service, after major alterations, and at not more than 3-month 

intervals, will help to ensure that the hoist functions properly.

•	 Comply with the manufacturer’s specifications (29 CFR 1926.552(a)

(1)). For example:

– Install the safety chain as specified by the manufacturer. 

– Comply with the welding method required by the manufacturer 

of the safety chain to ensure that it is correctly attached.

•	 Ensure that workers’ personal fall arrest systems (PFASs)2 are not 

connected to any part of the material hoist (see Figure 3) when 

working outside it to install tower sections. Connect workers’ 

PFASs to an independent anchorage. For example, an adjacent 

building’s steel beam that is not used to support or suspend the 

carriage and is capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds for 

each worker attached (1926.502(d)(15)). An anchorage designed, 

installed and used under the supervision of a qualified person 

and as part of a complete PFAS capable of supporting at least 

twice the weight expected to be imposed upon it can be used 

instead. Lifelines must be protected from cuts or abrasions 

(29 CFR 1926.502(d)(11)) at all times. 

•	 Prohibit workers from riding on top of a material hoist’s 

carriage. Also, workers must not ride inside a material hoist’s 

carriage except during inspection and maintenance activities 

(29 CFR 1926.552(b)(1)(ii)). However, an OSHA Letter of 

Interpretation (dated April 7, 1987) states that workers can ride 

inside a material hoist’s carriage when erecting towers, only if 

there is no other way to access the material hoist. Otherwise, 

when adding tower sections, workers should access a material 

hoist by using the stairways and windows of the adjacent building 

that the material hoist is anchored to.

Note: The described case was selected as being representative of improper work practices which likely contributed to a fatality from an 

incident. The incident prevention recommendations do not necessarily reflect the outcome of any legal aspects of this case. OSHA encourages 

your company or organization to duplicate and share this information.

This Fatal Facts is not an OSHA standard or regulation and it creates no new legal obligations. The recommendations contained herein are 

advisory in nature and are intended to assist employers in providing safe and healthful workplaces. The Occupational Safety and Health Act 

of 1970 (OSH Act) requires employers to comply with safety and health standards promulgated by OSHA or by an OSHA-approved state plan. 

The requirements of OSHA-approved state plans can be reviewed by selecting the state’s web site at: www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp. The OSH Act’s 

General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to provide employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause 

death or serious physical harm.

You Have a Voice in the Workplace

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 

of 1970 affords workers the right to a safe 

workplace (see OSHA’s Worker Rights page, 

www.osha.gov/workers.html). Workers 

also have the right to file a complaint with 

OSHA if they believe that there are either 

violations of OSHA standards or serious 

workplace hazards. 

How OSHA Can Help

For questions or to get information or 

advice, to report an emergency, report 

a fatality or catastrophe, or to file a 

confidential complaint, contact your nearest 

OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov or call our 

toll-free number at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), 

TTY 1-877-889-5627. It’s confidential.

More Information

OSHA standards and regulations:

www.osha.gov/law-regs.html

OSHA publications:

www.osha.gov/publications

OSHA-approved state plans adopt and 

enforce standards which may differ from 

Federal regulations: www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp

OSHA’s free On-site Consultation services: 

www.osha.gov/consultation

Training resources:

www.osha.gov/dte

Compliance Assistance services:

www.osha.gov/complianceassistance

List of terms as used in this document

1

 A gin pole is a device used to lift tower sections during assembly and disassembly of the material hoist.

2

 A PFAS is used to arrest (stop) a worker in a fall from a working level. It consists of an anchorage, connectors, a body harness and may include a 

lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline or suitable combinations of these.