Inspection Detail

Inspection: 103434700 - Marco Outdoor Advertising Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10 a.m. on January 20, 1995, Employee #1 was working with a crew in Gretna, LA, taking down a large paneled billboard measuring approximately 14 ft high by 48 ft long. The employees were sliding the 2 ft by 14 ft panels to one end of the sign structure in order to passed them to the ground and place them on a truck-mounted crane. Each panel was turned so that it would not become hung up on the way down. Two employees were standing on the catwalk inside the frame of the large billboard, while Employee #1 was working on the outer catwalk, which measured 3 ft wide by 48 ft long. None of the employees was attached to a static line. Employee #1 was in the greatest danger. He was handling a panel and as he approached the end of the catwalk, he lost his balance and fell approximately 48 ft to the ground. He suffered was killed. Employee #1 had approximately 10 years of sign erection experience. No static lines were provided, and the catwalks had no guardrails or equivalent fall protection. The employer had relied primarily on supervisory oversight and verbal instruction to convey safety and health information. There were few if any written safety documents. A violation of 1910.23(c)(1) was found.

Keywords: DISMANTLING, WORK RULES, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, ADVERTISING SIGN, LOST BALANCE, WORK PLATFORM