Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1216196.015 - Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc.

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

Investigation Summary

At 3:45 p.m. on March 3, 2017, an employee was working as a construction manager, supervising a bridge replacement project. The team was finishing up phase 2, located on the east side of the bridge, and proceeding with phase 3, located on the west side of the bridge. One tasking involved a pile driving template, measuring 34 feet long by 9.6 feet wide, to be welded to the top of a cofferdam that measured approximately 40 feet long by 40 feet wide. There were three unguarded holes located in the middle of the template that measured 2.6 feet long by 2.6 feet wide, which steel beams were to be driven through. With the cofferdam drained of its river water, the template was held level by a lattes-boom crane and while the template was tack welded into place. While the template was still attached to the crane, the employee climbed onto the template to ask the welder how much welding was left to be done. As he was talking with the welder, the employee noticed tools on the bottom of the cofferdam. As he turned around to direct the crew to retrieve the tools, the employee fell approximately 11.6 feet through the southernmost hole of the template and landed on the gravel cofferdam floor. The employee sustained compression fracture and burst vertebrae at the L1 region, which he was hospitalized and received treatment. The incident investigation reported that access to the template while it was still attached to the crane was prohibited by the employer despite this rule not being followed leading up to the incident.

Keywords: Bridge, Construction, Elevated Work Platform, Fall, Fall Protection, Floor Opening, Fracture, Pile Driver, Vertebra