UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: On January 8, 2007, an employee and four other technicians were assigned the task of securing recently-installed fiber optic cable in cable raceways located inside of a switching station. The technicians' task was to secure the cable to a raceway, which is elevated seven and one-half feet above the floor. The area through which the raceway runs is congested with equipment, other raceways, building structural elements and air conditioning equipment, so much so that it was not easily accessible by ladder. The employee and a coworker climbed into the equipment area using a portable ladder and made their way to the tray. In order to access his portion of the tray, the employee climbed higher into the rafters, to get around some obstructing equipment. He was crouching on a raceway support 12 feet above the ground, holding onto rafters, when his foot slipped. He lost his balance and fell onto an upright portion of the raceway support, impaling himself. Other coworkers came to his aid and called paramedics. The employee was hospitalized and treated for a puncture wound.