Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112152780 - J.T. Chemcor

Inspection Information - Office: Riverside District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 had placed a 16 ft extension ladder on top of an 11 ft 2 in. high rolling scaffold to reach higher than the scaffold would permit. The scaffold's wheels were locked. Employee #1 was approximately 20 ft above the dock floor, painting a small portion of the wall. Employee #2 went up the ladder about two steps to hand a can of paint to Employee #1. Employee #1 had come down about three steps when the ladder slid, causing Employees #1 and #2, the ladder, and the scaffold to fall. Employee #1 required hospitalization. According to the employer, the employees were not assigned to paint that day because the needed scissor lift was being used at another site. They were required to do strip work at 10 ft high, but they finished earlier than expected. According to management, Employee #1, the foreman, used a setup that was contrary to the company's safety policy. Outriggers, which would have increased the effective width of the scaffold to 65 inches, were available but not used.

Keywords: MOBILE SCAFFOLD, OUTRIGGER, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, LADDER, SLIP, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, SCAFFOLD, UNSTABLE POSITION