Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200612026 - Employees Are Injured in Rack Collapse

Accident Summary Nr: 200612026 -- Report ID: 0111700 -- Event Date: 11/15/2005
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
306952847	11/15/2005	1711	238220	Ouellette Plumbing & Heating Corp.

Abstract: On November 15, 2005, Employees #1 through #6 were loading a Unistrut rack with copper pipe of varying sizes. The rack collapsed Employee #1, who was then hospitalized with fractures. Employees #2 trough #6 sustained various injuries during the rescue of Employee #1. The rack had been improperly constructed in three ways: (1) single through-bolts were used to assemble some of the horizontal and vertical members within the rack, instead of "T" or gusset connections, as specified by the rack component manufacturer; using the single bolts allowed the connections to rotate around the bolt, (2) the horizontal braces were connected with single bolts, instead of "T" or gusset connections, as specified by the rack component manufacturer; using the single bolts allowed the connections to rotate around the bolt, and (3) diagonal braces were not used to stabilize the frames.

Keywords: COLLAPSE, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, BOLT, BRACE, PIPE, STORAGE RACK, STRUCK BY, STORAGE AREA

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Other building		New project or new addition		$5,000,000 to $20,000,000	4

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	306952847	Non Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Occupation not reported
2	306952847	Non Hospitalized injury	Strain/Sprain	Occupation not reported
3	306952847	Non Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Occupation not reported
4	306952847	Non Hospitalized injury	Strain/Sprain	Occupation not reported
5	306952847	Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Occupation not reported
6	306952847	Non Hospitalized injury	Bruise/Contus/Abras	Occupation not reported

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