Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201010295 - Employee Is Injured in Fall Through Hole in Roof

Accident Summary Nr: 201010295 -- Report ID: 0950661 -- Event Date: 06/02/2011
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
315268342	07/13/2011	1711	238220	Ram Mechanical Inc

Abstract: At approximately 1:30 p.m. On June 2, 2011, Employee #1, of Ram Mechanical Inc., a licensed General Contractor, was installing an exhaust fan on the roof of the main production building at Peninsula Plastics Recycling Inc. Employee #1 and Employee #2 were in the process of installing an exhaust fan through the metal roof of the Production building at Peninsula Plastics Recycling Inc. The steel building was approximately 100 feet wide by 400 feet long. The roof was made of 18 gauge galvanized sheet metal and has a slope of 1:12. The hole being cut was at the approximate center of the structure. The peak of the roof was approximately 35 feet above floor level. Employee #1 was using a 4 inch right angle grinder with a cut-off wheel to cut the roofing metal. Employee #1 had made cuts on three sides of the intended hole of approximately 42 inches per side. Employee #1 had left "holding" metal on each cut side to support the metal and prevent it from falling through as the final cut was being made. Employee #1 repositioned himself for the final cut. As he started making the cut he inadvertently placed weight on the cut portion of the metal roofing causing it to give way. He fell through the opening head first. Employee #1 landed on a conveyor approximately 15 feet below the opening. Employee #1 sustained fractures to three thoracic vertebrae with fractures to the adjacent ribs and a laceration to the scalp. Employee #1 was transported by ambulance to the Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock; he was hospitalized for three days. The accident was caused by the employee inadvertently placing weight onto the already partially cut portion of the roof metal which subsequently gave way. Employee #3, the Office Manager for Ram Mechanical Inc. reported the injury to the Modesto District Office on June 2, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. A second notification was received by the Modesto District Office from the Turlock Police/Fire Dispatch on June 2, 2011 at 1:50 p.m. The reporting requirements were met. The HHU received the information on the accident from the Modesto District Office on July 12, 2011 and an inspection was opened on July 13, 2011.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, ROOF, WARNING LINE, FLOOR HOLE, LACERATION, RIB, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, VERTEBRA

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Commercial building		Alteration or rehabilitation		Under $50,000	1	30

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	315268342			Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Sheetmetal duct installers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: 31 feet Cause: Installing equipment (HVAC and other) Fatality Cause: Fall, other

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