Inspection Detail

Inspection: 107802282 - Thomaswood Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

AT APPROXIMATELY 11 AM ON DECEMBER 19, 1987, TWO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WERE INSTALLING A ROW OF FELT PAPER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A NEW CEMENT BLOCK WAREHOUSE. THE BUILDING WAS ABOUT 40 FEET WIDE BY 100 FEET LONG. THEY WERE USING A TUBULAR WELDED FRAME MASONRY SCAFFOLD TO FACILITATE THE WORK; IT WAS CONSIDERED EASIER TO REACH THE EAVES THIS WAY. THE SCAFFOLD WAS 2 STAGES HIGH, WITH THE DECK LEVEL ABOUT 12 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WALKING ALONG THE SINGLE ALUMINUM PLANK LAYING THE FELT WHILE HIS FOREMAN FOLLOWED ABOUT 8 FEET BEHIND HIM TACKING DOWN THE FELT. AT ABOUT 11 AM, EMPLOYEE #1 APPEARED TO SLIP OFF THE PLANK AND FALL HEAD FIRST INTO THE TOP MEMBER OF THE FIRST STAGE SCAFFOLD DIRECTLY BELOW HIM. HE THEN LANDED ON THE FROZEN GROUND, FACE DOWNWARD, POINTING AT AN ANGLE AWAY FROM THE BUILDING. HE SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES AND A BROKEN NECK AND WAS PARALYSED FROM THE WAIST DOWN. HE WAS IN A COMA UNTIL JANUARY 8TH, WHEN HE REGAINED CONSIOUSNESS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE BRIGHT, CLEAR, AND SUNNY. THERE WAS NO SCAFFOLD GUARDING USED AT ANY TIME DURING THIS WORK ACTIVITY WHICH HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS AT THIS LEVEL. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS CONSIDERED AN EXPERIENCED CARPENTER WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY WORKED ON SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

Keywords: HEAD, PARALYSIS, INSTALLING, WORK RULES, SLIP, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, NECK, TUBULAR SCAFFOLD