LTI – fingertip pinched by wire sling
- Safety Flash
- Published on 3 October 2023
- Generated on 23 June 2025
- IMCA SF 23/23
- 2 minute read
A rigger suffered serious injury when his finger got trapped between a sling and one of the forks of a fork-lift truck.
What happened?
The incident occurred when the rigger was installing a steel wire sling on one fork of the fork-lift truck in stand-by, and the fork-lift operator started to lift the fork without instruction or alert from the banksman nearby.
What went wrong?
- The experienced fork-lift operator started to lift the fork without any instructions, without any reference to the Banksman who was the person through whom communication ought have been channelled.
- The rigger took no account of the fact that his fingers were IN THE LINE OF FIRE.
- Neither the task nor its risks were suitably assessed by the lifting team.
What were the causes?
Our Member identified the following as causes:
- complacency – the fork-lift operator acted without thinking, based on previous experience
- lack of communication.
Lessons learned
- Always wait on clear instructions or signals from the Banksman during lifting operations, particularly if you don’t have a clear overview of the work area.
- Think through where you position yourself – keep out of the line of fire.
- Ensure everyone involved in the task takes part in, and is properly briefed at, a toolbox meeting before starting, and that this meeting covers all the hazards involved.
- Our Member took steps to arrange for this particular task to be done in a different way in order to prevent recurrence.
Related safety flashes
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IMCA SF 29/20
9 October 2020
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IMCA SF 28/16
18 October 2016
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IMCA SF 05/11
29 June 2011
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