UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

At 3:25 p.m. on February 15, 2019, Employee #1, an apprentice, and Employee #2, a foreman/supervisor, both employed by a home builder, were working on a residen tial garage remodeling project. They were cutting the existing rafter ties, res haping them, and repositioning them to create a higher ceiling. Employee #1 wa s working from a scaffold, holding the rafter ties while they were cut by Employ ee #2, and then holding the reshaped rafter ties in their new positions while Em ployee #2 nailed them into place. The rafter ties were not bolted or otherwise sufficiently secured; they were nailed in with four to six 16-penny nails to hol d them in place. Approximately 15 rafter ties were cut and repositioned in suc cession from the front of the garage to the back. The roof collapsed, cascading from front to back, as the employees were working on the 15th rafter tie. Ther e were no effective bracing measures utilized to prevent the load of the roof fr om collapsing. When the roof collapsed, Employee #1 was pinned between the scaf fold and the roof. Employee #2, who was working from the fourth rung of an A-f rame ladder, was struck by a falling piece of wood and knocked off the ladder. The employees were transported to the hospital, where Employee #1 was admitted f or treatment of fractures to his left leg tibia and fibula bones. Employee #2 w as treated for a minor head injury and contusion and was released.