Inspection Detail

Inspection: 111818738 - City Of Oakland-Parks & Recreation

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, of the City of Oakland Office of Parks and Recreation, was assigned to trim tea trees in a planter/bed behind a retaining wall more than 4 ft high. No one witnessed the accident, nor does Employee #1 recall the incident, due to memory loss. Apparently, Employee #1 was either entering or leaving his elevated work area, possibly by using a defective 8 ft aluminum orchard ladder. Employee #1 was found lying in a fetal position on the concrete walkway below the retaining wall by his lead man, who had been working in the bed facing away from Employee #1. The orchard ladder was lying beside Employee #1 parallel to the wall with the third leg fully extended (flat to the walk). Employee #1 was bleeding from the left side of his head and from his nose and mouth. He was taken by Regional Ambulance first to Highland Hospital, where the CAT scan units were not in operation, and then he was transferred to Oak Knoll Naval Hospital. He was diagnosed as having a skull fracture and blood clots in his brain. He underwent surgery and was later transferred to Alto Bates Hospital. One month later, Employee #1 still experienced periodic head pains, memory loss, aphasia, and a continual buzzing sound. Employee #1 is undergoing physical and speech therapies that may continue another year.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, LOSS OF BLOOD, MOUTH, LADDER, NOSE, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, FALL, TREE TRIMMING