Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200051860 - Tv Tower Collapse Kills Two Employees and Injures Two

Accident Summary Nr: 200051860 -- Report ID: 0728900 -- Event Date: 09/24/2002
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
303733638	09/25/2002	1791	0	Mid-Central Tower Company
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
303733810	10/01/2002	1541	0	Weathercraft Company Inc Of Scottsbluff/Gehring
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
303733646	09/26/2002	1799	562910	Structural Systems Technology Inc
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
303733802	10/01/2002	7389	0	Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
303733810	10/01/2002	1541	0	Weathercraft Company Inc Of Scottsbluff/Gehring

Abstract: On September 24, 2002, Employees #1, #2, #3, and #4 were subcontracted to replace diagonal braces and reinforce certain areas of a 1,965 ft tall KDUH-TV tower for an upgrade to high definition television. Employee #1 worked in the area of section number 10 and Employee #2 worked in the area of sections number 47 and number 48, at the connection location of the tower legs. According to the assembly details, 10 diagonal braces were to be replaced in section number 47. The existing braces were found to be unbolted. At the time of the tower collapse, there was a separation of the tower legs at their flange connections between sections number 61 and number 62, which allowed sections number 48 through number 61 to collapse to the southwest of the tower base. Another separation occurred between sections number 47 and number 48, which caused sections number through section number 47 to collapse. After the tower collapse, the metal members were bent and twisted, and the fallen tower was lying across the field. Employees #1 and #2 were killed in the collapse. Employees #3 and #4, roofers repairing the roof of the transmitting building, were injured when they were struck by falling guy wires. Both sustained injuries that required hospitalization. During the subsequent accident investigation, Section number 48 was lifted out of the ground, and open holes were observed on the gussets where bolts either were removed or had been broken in the collapse of the structure.

Keywords: COLLAPSE, FALL, STRUCK BY, TELECOM WORK, UNSECURED, TOWER, FRACTURE, COMMUNICATION TOWER, CONSTRUCTION, FALLING OBJECT

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Tower, tank, storage elevator		Alteration or rehabilitation		$50,000 to $250,000		1965	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	303733638	Fatality	Other	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Emplacing reinforcing steel Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure
2	303733638	Fatality	Other	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Emplacing reinforcing steel Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure
3	303733810	Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Roofing Fatality Cause: Struck by falling object/projectile
4	303733646			Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Fatality Cause:
5	303733802			Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Fatality Cause:
6	303733810	Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Roofing Fatality Cause: Struck by falling object/projectile

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