Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 202327557 - Employees injured in truss collapse

Accident Summary Nr: 202327557 -- Report ID: 0420600 -- Event Date: 12/26/2001
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
304986045	12/27/2001	1761	0	Carter Construction Inc.

Abstract: On December 26, 2001, Employees #1 through #5 were framing a wood truss roof. The trusses ranged in weight and specifications but all had a span of 62 ft. They were manufactured by West Coast Truss, Inc., of Tampa, FL. The trusses were installed at 16-in. spacing, secured on the top chord utilizing 2-in. by 4-in. wood spacers 17.5 inches in length securing one truss to another. Two rat runs were installed on the bottom chord running straight through the middle of the trusses. Each run was approximately 25 ft from the outside edge of the building. No diagonal bracing, ground bracing or lateral bracing meeting the requirements of the HIB91 Summary Sheet, Commentary and Recommendations for Handling, Installing, & Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, was utilized. In addition, the HIB91 Summary states "see a registered professional engineer," for the arrangement of temporary bracing for trusses over 60 ft in length. A registered professional engineer was never consulted prior to the collapse. The west wall truss straps were nailed to the trusses with two 16d double headed nails. The east wall truss straps had been nailed to the trusses with four to five 6d common nails. These 6d nails sheared off during a 25 mph wind, causing 33 trusses to collapse in succession. Employees #1 through #3 were hospitalized for fractures and dislocations. Employees #4 and #5 were treated for cuts/lacerations and released. The cause was inadequate bracing of trusses and improper securing of the truss straps.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HIGH WIND, TRUSS, NAIL, CONSTRUCTION, LACERATION, DISLOCATED, BRACING

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Commercial building		New project or new addition		$250,000 to $500,000	1

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	304986045	Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing interior walls, ceilings, doors Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure
2	304986045	Non Hospitalized injury	Cut/Laceration	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing interior walls, ceilings, doors Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure
3	304986045	Non Hospitalized injury	Cut/Laceration	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing interior walls, ceilings, doors Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure
4	304986045	Hospitalized injury	Fracture	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing interior walls, ceilings, doors Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure
5	304986045	Hospitalized injury	Dislocation	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing interior walls, ceilings, doors Fatality Cause: Collapse of structure

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