Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119515849 - Abbey Decorators

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

Employees #1 and #2 were painting a building from atop an unguarded 21 ft high tubular welded frame scaffold. The employees had both an 11 ft and a 24 ft aluminum extension ladder atop the scaffold to access the top of the eaves in front of the building they were painting. The scaffold had two wheel casters that were resting on the sidewalk, and the back of the scaffold had screw jacks that were extended 15 in. The scaffold was sitting at a 5 degree tilt and was approximately 3 ft away from the building. The scaffold started to slide backward and come apart at the same time. When it finally fell all the way backward and collapsed, Employee #1 fell to the asphalt parking lot, landing on his face and forehead and sustaining severe head and body trauma. Employee #2 fell into the scaffold, sustaining cuts and bruises to the head and body. Both employees were treated at the job site by Maryland City paramedics and were flown by helicopter to the UM Shock Trauma Hospital in Baltimore. At present, Employee #1 is still hospitalized at the Shock Trauma Hospital in critical but stable condition.

Keywords: GUARDRAIL, FOREHEAD, LADDER, CONSTRUCTION, SCAFFOLD COLLAPSE, FALL, FACE, PAINTER, UNGUARDED, TUBULAR SCAFFOLD