UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

On September 27, 2001, workers were installing plywood sheathing onto a roof. There were three carpenters and the owner. One carpenter was working on the front side of the attic area of the structure installing structure wood members. Employee #1 and the other carpenter were installing the plywood sheathing on the roof rafters on the rear side of the structure. The one carpenter was working in the attic cutting the plywood and Employee #1 was out on the roof placing the plywood. The first row of sheathing was laid from inside the attic. Once the row of sheathing was installed, Employee #1 accessed the roof and continued laying the consecutive rows. He was working in a south to north direction installing the sheathing from the eave to the ridge. Employee #1 was standing on the third row of sheathing with the tow section of his shoes hanging over the top or west side of the sheathing in order to foot or brace the sheathing he was about to install. The sheathing being installed on the fourth row contained a bow or curvature and upon laying it down, Employee #1's toe section of his shoe, which was hanging over into the area of the fourth row, caused the bow to spring up striking his forefoot. Employee #1 lost his balance and fell forward onto the unsecured section of the sheathing. The sheathing along with Employee #1 slid down the roof and landed on the east side of the structure. Employee #1 sustained an L4 burst fracture of the spine, an open compound fracture of the left tibia and fibula, a fractured left ankle and a retroperitoneal hematoma. Employee #1 was hospitalized.