UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on February 17, 2000, Employee #1, an ironworker, was installing cross-braces above the ceiling beams at the left section of a theater under construction. He was operating one of two Skyjack 800 SJ8841 scissor lifts, and was standing at the controls at the right front corner of the scissor lift platform. The lifts were being used at their full, 30 ft extension to install the braces. He was backing the scissor lift to tighten the bolts on the next brace when his left rear tire either ran across some 2 by 4 debris or ran into a 28 in. wide by 10 in. deep steel post hole. The scissor lift tipped to the side and Employee #1 fell approximately 30 ft to the ground, sustaining multiple fractures, contusions, and a head injury. Subsequent investigation determined that the hole cover had been removed by the employer and that the employer failed to protect employees from the unguarded hole. Employee #1 was driving at the right front corner of the platform, and could not see the left rear tire and the hole. No mechanical problems were reported and the supervisor was in the immediate vicinity at the time of the accident. The employer was cited for a serious accident-related of T8CCR 3646(a)(3).