Inspection Detail

Inspection: 116036682 - Terry Keir Painting

Inspection Information - Office: Pittsburgh Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was in a one man spider (Spider Staging Corp., Seattle, WA, model ST 180). The 5/16 in. cable was not properly attached to the top of the water tower; it did not have a second tie back from the cable to another anchor point. The cable had an eyelet on the end and a small chain with two hooks threaded through the eyelet. The cable was not properly wound on the take-up spool, but was lying to one side. The employee was wearing a full five point body harness with a 6 ft lanyard attached. The lanyard was attached to a 1/2 in. nylon rope used as a lifeline. The cable slid off the lay of cable on the spool, causing the spider to drop. The recoil of the spider stopping was enough to cause the chain hooks to come loose and the spider to fall. While the employee hung by his safety equipment, the lifeline broke. He fell and was killed.

Keywords: WATER TOWER, LIFELINE, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, HOIST, FALL