UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS AN ELEVEN STORY, APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET HIGH BUILDING. THREE MEN HAD RIGGED A TWO POINT SUSPENSION SCAFFOLD CONSISTING OF TWO SPIDER STAGING CO., MODEL ST-18 ELECTRIC POWERED BASKETS, AND FIVE, 4 FOOT LONG BY 2 FOOT WIDE, SPIDER CABLE TRUSS SECTIONAL PLATFORMS. SPIDER MODEL 1084 I-BEAM PORTABLE ROOF OUTRIGGERS WERE USED. THEY WERE SPACED 18 FEET APART. THE WIRE ROPE GUIDES ON THE SCAFFOLD BASKETS WERE 23 FEET, 6 INCHES APART. THE SECONDARY MEANS OF ANCHORAGE CONSISTED OF 5/16 WIRE ROPES CONNECTED TO THE I-BEAMS AND WRAPPED AROUND ALUMINUM ROOF VENT SUPPORTS. NONE OF THE THREE MEN HAD RECEIVED ANY TRAINING OR INSTRUCTION IN RIGGING THE SCAFFOLD. NO LIFELINES WERE USED. SAFETY BELTS WITH LANYARDS ATTACHED TO THE RAILINGS OF THE SCAFFOLD WERE USED. AFTER RIGGING, EMPLOYEES #1 AND 2 WERE IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE SUSPENSION SCAFFOLD FROM THE GROUND TO THE ROOF WITH EMPLOYEE #1 ON THE SOUTH AND EMPLOYEE #2 ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SCAFFOLD. AS THE SCAFFOLD PASSED THE 11TH STORY WINDOW LEDGE AND APPROACHED ROOF TOP LEVEL WITH THE WIRE ROPE GUIDES ON THE SCAFFOLD BASKETS ABOUT 50INCHES BELOW AND 32 INCHES OUT OF PLUMB WITH THE I-BEAM OUTRIGGERS ON EACH SIDE,THE I-BEAM ON THE SOUTHERLY END TIPPED OVER. SINCE THE ROOF WAS ONLY 22 FEET WIDE THE OUTRIGGER WENT OVER THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, PULLING THE ROOF VENT WITH IT. THE RESULTING FORCE PULLED THE OTHER I-BEAM OVER ALSO IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION WITH THE SCAFFOLD HANGING FROM IT IN A VERTICAL POSITION. AS THE SOUTH END OFTHE SCAFFOLD FELL, EMPLOYEE #1 BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE FALLING HOISTING CABLE. EMPLOYEE #1 SUSTAINED SEVERE LACERATIONS AND CRUSHING OF THE ARMS, LEGS AND CHEST, DEATH RESULTING. EMPLOYEE #2 SUSTAINED MINOR LACERATIONS, SPRAINS AND BRUISES.