Boom Failure on Dueco-Terex Digger
A cooperative crew was doing a routine pole change out. The crew said they were "lifting" a pole when the damage occurred.
The crew indicated the boom was extended all of the way out. This caused even more leverage on the boom. They also stated no overload protection devices operated prior to boom failure. An investigation into the events leading up to this incident found it was common for the crews to "lift" poles with the boom. The term "lifting poles" was found to actually mean pulling poles from the ground. This practice was thought to have fatigued the structural integrity of the boom and attributed to the failure.
The investigation team concluded this was one of those events where the crew is not willing to say anymore than they have to and management cannot prove otherwise. Management made clear that all future pole removals would require the use of a pole-puller.
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