Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120275508 - Esm

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At 11:49 a.m. on January 23, 2001, a fatal fall occurred. The employer was a husband and wife firm, engaged in the installation of fire protection equipment for the past five years. According to the job supervisor, they were replacing all of the old 48 skylights on a large 1992 warehouse with new smoke vent skylights as required by the city's Fire Marshall. He used a scissor lift to unscrew all of the old plastic domes from under the roof. Employee #1 was replacing the last old dome when he fell through the unguarded skylight. Employee #1 landed face up onto the concrete floor at the middle north section of the warehouse. Employee #1 was not wearing a safety belt and lanyard. Employee #1's coworker was the president of the company. He was about 80 feet away, going down the ladder, when he heard a scraping sound and saw the skylight's dome sitting on the edge of the hole. There were no witnesses to the accident. Employee #1 had 20 years experience as a carpenter. The causal factor which contributed to the accident included the employer's failure in providing fall protection while Employee #1 was working within six feet of the unguarded skylight. Employee #1 sustained a fatal injury as the result of a 35-foot fall from the unguarded skylight. Employee #1 was transported by emergency vehicle to the University of California at San Diego Hospital for emergency medical treatment, but was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Keywords: SKYLIGHT, FRACTURE, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, UNGUARDED, AERIAL LIFT