Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110517653 - Bouten Construction Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Boise Area Office

Investigation Summary

The addition of a two story wood frame banquet room was being made onto an existing building. The top floor of the addition was 72 ft by 94 ft and was divided into three rooms. All three rooms were covered with a flat roof. The roof section covered the 72 ft by 32 ft south room. The roof trusses over this room had been attached to the structure by one 16 penny nail toe-nailed into the very end of the trusses and driven approximately 1/2 inch into the glue-lam over the south outer wall. The north end of the trusses were attached above the shim wall to trusses covering the next room. Gussets (2 by 6) were used to make the attachment between the two sets of trusses. No other attachments of the trusses, such as the metal Simpson ties shown on the blueprints, had been made prior to sheathing the roof. The south and east outer walls were not sheathed. The day after the roof was sheathed it was seen uplifting in high winds of 50 mph or more. Employee #1 and a coworker attempted to secure the roof by tying three ropes with come-alongs from trusses to three window sills located in the south outer wall. Shortly after, Employees #1 through #3 went on the roof to further secure the roof. A gust of wind lifted the roof from the south end, standing it beyond vertical. The roof then came completely loose from the structure, blew over the building, and landed approximately 159 ft away. Employees #1 and #3 were found lying near the south edge of the roof; Employee #2 was found just under the north edge. They all died from their injuries. The employees had not been wearing fall protection.

Keywords: HIGH WIND, ROOF, CONSTRUCTION, FALL PROTECTION