Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123285645 - Domack Roofing Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Bridgeport Area Office

Investigation Summary

On August 9, 2001, the day prior to the incident, Employee #1, a foreman, and two roofers, of Domack Roofing LLC started working on the lower, low sloped roof located on the east side of the structure. The low sloped roof spanned the east side of the structure and measured 235 feet, 4.375 inches long and 14 feet wide. The height of the roof measured 26 feet, 8 inches high from the roof to the grade below on the north side. The height of the roof measured 42 feet, 10.3125 inches high from the roof to the grade on the south side. The fall distance on the east side of the roof measured 26 feet, 8 inches on the far north side to 42 feet, 4.375 inches on the south side. However, the northern half from mid-way to the north side stayed at or about the 26-feet, 8 inch dimension. On the other hand, the southern half from mid-way to the south side started out at approximately 26 feet, 8 inches and gradually became greater at the southernmost point, where the height measured the 42 feet, 4.375 inches. According to the interviews on the day before the accident, the employees were working on half the roof in the longest dimension due to the north side of the roof not yet ready for roofing. Therefore, the employees were working on a roof area that measured 117 feet, 8.3125 inches long and 14 feet wide. On the day prior to the incident, the employees installed the insulation to the metal decking of the roof and returned the next day to install the rubber roll roofing. According to the employees, on the day prior to the incident, they worked on the roof for approximately 5-6 hours and did not use any fall protection. On the day of the incident, the three employees returned to the site. The employees were in the process of gluing the outer most section of rubber roofing to the insulation. This section, which was approximately 3 feet wide, was located on the far east side of the low sloped roof. Employee #1 was using a mobile, hand powered gluing unit which lays a 2-2.50 foot wide layer of glue on the backside of the rubber roll roofing. Employee #1 was walking backwards in a southerly direction towards, as the two roofers were using roof mops to spread the glue out evenly on the backside of the roll roofing behind Employee #1. The two roofers were walking in a southerly direction side-by-side facing in an easterly direction, as Employee #1 walked backwards with the gluing unit. As the two roofers continued to walk in a southerly direction side-by- side, the roofer closest to the south side of the roof noticed Employee #1 was not visible any longer. The first roofer turned to the next and asked where Employee #1 went. Both realized Employee #1 could not have taken the gluing machine inside the building so they ran over to the south side of the roof, looked off the side, and saw Employee #1 laying on the ground. One roofer ran down to assist Employee #1, while the second ran to the construction trailer to call for medical assistance. An off-duty police officer working traffic duty working across the street from the building observed Employee #1's fall and radioed for EMS assistance. Police, Fire and EMS arrived, and Employee #1 was transported to Stamford Hospital. Employee #1 sustained a compound fracture of his tibula and fibula in his left leg, a fractured right scapulla, and two fracture ribs on his right side.

Keywords: FRACTURE, ROOF, RIB, FALL, FALL PROTECTION