Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312430549 - The Resource Collection

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

On December 29, 2008, a maintenance worker, Employee #1, was assigned to cut branches from a tree. The tree was approximately 23 ft tall and was located at the park on the Lake Shore Drive of the property. A coworker got a "Deere" front loader to use as a work platform and to elevate the maintenance worker to where he could cut the branches, using a chain saw. The two employees went to the location of the tree. Employee #1 climbed into the bucket of the front loader and the driver raised the bucket up about 20 ft. Employee #1 cut some branches while standing in the bucket. Then the driver began to lower the bucket, and while doing so noticed Employee #1 swaying as though he was about to faint. He immediately stopped lowering the bucket. Employee #1 slid down in the bucket while holding onto the front edge of the bucket. He continued sliding until his body was all the way out of the bucket and he was holding on to the bottom edge of the bucket before falling about 5 ft to the concrete ground. Employee #1 received a head trauma injury. He was taken by helicopter to UCLA Medical Center, Westwood. He had internal bleeding, a collapsed lung, and blunt head injury. The worker was placed in intensive care, where he underwent surgery and placed in an induced coma. The worker was on life-support and unresponsive until his family made the decision to remove life support on January 21, 2009, resulting in his death.

Keywords: HEAD, MAINTENANCE, FRONT END LOADER, WORK RULES, TREE, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, TREE TRIMMING, WORK SURFACE, UNSTABLE POSITION