Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120274956 - American Concrete Cutting & Coring

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately at 12:15 a.m. on November 14, 2001, Employees were working in a building being renovated for a furniture store. A 12-foot-square section of a concrete wall was cut prior to the incident to the a was used to cut the base of the section, which measured 12 feet square followed by a top cut of the section. in order to use the saw for wall cutting, a metal railing is bolted into the wall to serve as a guide for the saw. Several of the bolt holes drilled into the concrete were also used to attach metal braces to secure the cut wall section in place until ready for removal. After the vertical cuts were completed, the demo crew, consisting of two workers, Employee #1 the laborer placed tires on the floor in the landing area to cushion the fall and prevent floor damage before removing the support braces. Employee # 2 the bobcat operator drove around to the backside of the cut section to wait for a signal from the Employee #1 to push the cut wall section over by placing the air hammer attachment spike against the top section of the wall and driving it forward. Before the signal was given to push the wall over, the Employee #1 returned to the side of the wall section to be removed and adjusted or realigned some of the tires, the wall fell over without any contact being made by Employee #2. Employee #2 looked up and saw the wall falling over and turned to run away, but was struck by the falling wall and trapped. Emergency personnel was immediately called the paramedics arrived and the employee was pronounced dead at the scene.

Keywords: WALL, RAIL, SAW, LACERATION, BOLT, BRACE, FALL, STRUCK BY, CONCRETE, FOOT