US Labor Department cites Melbourne crane service provider after investigation finds lack of safety protocols led to 34-year-old employee’s electrocution

Summary:

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has found that a Melbourne-based rental crane service provider, Capt'n Hook's Crane Service Inc., failed to ensure required safety measures were in place at a Palm Bay work site in August 2023. As a result, a 34-year-old crane operator was electrocuted when the crane's steel wire rope and chain rigging came into contact with overhead power lines. OSHA cited the employer for five violations, including using an uncertified crane operator and operating a hydraulic crane within 20 feet of overhead power lines. The agency proposed $26,585 in penalties and emphasizes the importance of following basic safety protocols and industry-standard regulations to prevent workplace accidents involving mobile, overhead, and rail-mounted cranes.