UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: On November 5, 2003, Employee #1, a laborer of Labor Ready, was working under direct supervision of Rock Enterprises, a concrete construction contractor and the secondary employer, when he fell into a footing onto an unprotected and unguarded metal stake. Employee #1 was assigned by Rock Enterprises Superintendent to vacuum dirt out of the footings to the Service Building, with a Shop Vac. Employee #1 was backing up as he unrolled an extension cord for the vacuum and fell backwards into an unprotected footing. The footing hole was 5 ft by 5 ft and 2.5 ft deep. Employee #1 fell back into the footing and impaled his buttock on a 30 in metal stake. Employee #1 was able to use his leg muscles to stop him from falling onto the entire length of the stake, and was impaled by 5 to 6 in. of the stake. Employee #1 suffered an impaled buttock and a severed rectum and was hospitalized. There were no witnesses to this accident. This accident could have been prevented if the footing hole was guardrailed or if the stake was protected by rebar caps. During the time of the accident, there were eight unprotected stakes and rebar ends, in the footing. There were a total of four footings that were unguarded or unprotected on the day of the accident.