Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101075117 - H. B. Zachry Company

Inspection Information - Office: Houston North Area Office

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1, AN ELECTRICIANS HELPER, WAS ON HIS FIRST DAY ON THE JOB. THE ELECTRICIAN FOREMAN ASSIGNED EMPLOYEE #1 AND A CO-WORKER TO INSTALL METAL CONDUITS IN AN OVERHEAD CABLE TRAY. ALLEGEDLY THE EMPLOYEES WERE TOLD TO WORK FROM A STRAIGHT WOODEN LADDER, BUT DUE TO THE CONDITIONS AND THE NATURE OF THE WORK TO BE DONE IT WAS IMPRACTICLE TO DO SO. THE EMPLOYEES HAD TO WORK AROUND AND OVER VARIOUS SIZES OF CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS ABOUT FIVE FEET, EIGHT INCHES HIGH. A CABLE TRAY, APPROXIMATELY 13 FEET ABOVE THE CONCRETE FLOOR, RUNS NEAR THE CEILING AND MAKES AN "S" TURN. THIS CONFIGURATION MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO POSITION THE STRAIGHT LADDER SO THAT THE EMPLOYEES COULD WORK FROM IT AT ALL TIMES. THERE ARE MULTI CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS USED TO SUPPORT FALK GEAR BOXES AT THIS SITE. THESE FALK GEARS HAVE A SIX INCH METAL SHAFT WITH A COLLAR, APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET, 6 1/2 INCHES ABOVE THE CONCRETE FLOOR. EMPLOYEE #1 AND HIS CO-WORKER WERE WORKING AROUND AND OVER THESE UNGUARDED FALK GEAR SHAFTS. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT WHICH WAS REQUIRED BY HIS EMPLOYER (HARD HAT, SAFETY BELT, SAFETY GLASSES). BOTH ENDS OF HIS SAFETY BELT LANYARD WERE ATTACHED TO THE D-RING, LEAVING A LOOP HANGING ABOUT DOWN TO HIS KNEES. AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO POSITION HIMSELF TO INSTALL A 3/4 INCH METAL CONDUIT IN THE OVERHEAD CABLE TRAY, THE LOOP IN HIS SAFETY BELT LANYARD BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE ROTATING SHAFT COLLAR BOLT STUDS. HE WAS SPUN AROUND WITH THE SHAFT, SUFFERING MULTIPLE BODY WOUNDS. HE WAS KILLED.

Keywords: ROTATING SHAFT, ELECTRICIAN, CONSTRUCTION, LOCKOUT, INEXPERIENCE, LANYARD, ENTANGLED, UNGUARDED