Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 201791738 - EMPLOYEE KILLED IN FALL THROUGH ROOF SKYLIGHT OPENING
| Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120042874 | 08/06/1998 | 1541 | 0 | Action Concrete Cutting Co |
Abstract: This accident was the result of Employee #1 falling through a skylight. There were six of these skylights on this section of the building. They measured nominally 4-foot by 8-foot in size and were covered on the roof with a white colored fiberglass cover. At some point in years past, they had been covered on the underside of the roof with 0.35-inch thick plywood sheets. On the upper side of these sheets was a layer of 0.5-inch fiberglass insulation, most likely installed as heat and cold protection. The fiberglass insulation was covered with a heavy layer of dust, indicating it had probably been there for years. The crew's foreman, and Employee #1, the lead man, had both worked for the company for three years and were probably equal in skill, but the foreman could speak both English and Spanish. On the day of the accident, the roof of a building was being prepared for removal. Employee #1 removed a skylight cover. That particular one had an aluminum vent in the 0.35-inch plywood cover that he removed with several blows of a demolition pick, and he then dropped an extension cord through that opening. He removed the fiberglass cover of the skylight. He then began the task of dismantling an air conditioning unit adjacent to the skylight. The skylight was not uncovered but still had the 0.35-inch plywood sheet with the fiberglass attached to it. The plywood sheet was attached with seven 1.5-inch drywall nails on one side and ten 1.5-inch drywall nails on the other side. As Employee #1 began work on the air conditioning unit, he needed additional tools and the foreman went down to get them. According to witnesses, Employee #1 was looking at his hands and attempting to fit some sockets together when he stepped into the skylight opening and onto the 0.35-inch plywood sheet. The plywood gave way on the side attached with seven nails and he fell 20 feet to the dirt floor.
| End Use | Project Type | Project Cost | Stories | Non-building Height | Fatality | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial building | Alteration or rehabilitation | $50,000 to $250,000 | 1 | 18 | X | ||
| Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation | Construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 120042874 | Fatality | Concussion | Construction laborers | Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: 20 feet Cause: Forming for piers or pylons Fatality Cause: Fall from roof |
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