Last Thursday on Orange Street, firefighters successfully rescued a DPW worker trapped in a bobcat by utilizing newly acquired equipment. The incident is currently under investigation by OSHA.
On May 22, a DPW worker became trapped in a piece of City construction equipment on Orange Street when the machinery compressed inward, crushing the man at the waist and inflicting severe pain. Firefighters responded and successfully extracted him from the equipment.
The emergency call came in around 10:46 a.m., and Engine 2 and Tower 1 were dispatched to Orange Street after a DPW worker was reported trapped inside construction equipment. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered the worker stuck inside a Skid-Steer, a piece of equipment similar to a backhoe. The equipment’s front had compressed inward, trapping the worker at his waist and lower extremities.
The worker was conscious and alert when firefighters arrived, though he was experiencing extreme pain. Initial rescue attempts using rescue air bags and hydraulic rams—both designed to lift heavy objects—proved unsuccessful because neither could fit into the confined space where the worker was trapped.
Capt. Michael Masucci directed firefighters to deploy a recently purchased piece of equipment called a Grip Hoist. Firefighters anchored the hoist to a nearby dump truck and attached the other end to the crushed Skid-Steer. Within minutes, the worker was freed from the vehicle and transported to MGH in Boston.
Capt. Masucci stated, “We were fortunate to have the new Grip Hoist on the truck. We pride ourselves on being prepared for any situation and today it paid off.”
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the accident.