Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201041357 - Employee Fractures Legs When False Car Falls

Accident Summary Nr: 201041357 -- Report ID: 0953220 -- Event Date: 03/12/2003
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
306120742	03/13/2003	1796	238290	Otis Elevator Company

Abstract: At approximately 1:45 p.m. on March 12, 2003, three employees decided to disconnect two cables (independent stop-bloc and the safety line) and loop them over the main unit they were installing. The two cables were held together with a single Crosby clip. They needed to move the cables in order to shift the unit over 0.75 inches to get it in line with the installed elevator tracts, because the cables were in the way. When Employee #1 went to operate the false car, the employees failed to realize that the cables were no longer attached to anything, causing the false car to plummet 4.5 stories (approximately 45 feet). When the brakes were released, the weight bearing cable was no longer bearing any weight. This caused the false car to plummet down. The car stopped when the emergency brakes were applied. Employee #1 fractured his legs and was hospitalized.

Keywords: FRACTURE, WIRE ROPE, SAFETY CONTROL LINE, WORK RULES, ELEVATOR, FALLING OBJECT, UNGUARDED, LEG

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Commercial building		New project or new addition		$1,000,000 to $5,000,000	5

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	306120742			Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: 5 feet Cause: Elevator, escalator installation Fatality Cause: Fall from/with structure (other than roof)

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