Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125593533 - Bay Area Reinforcing Inc

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:55 p.m. on December 3, 2003, Employees #1, #2, and #3 were building a bridge over the Napa River in Napa, California. They were constructing the reinforcing steel mat inside the lower formwork on top of the falsework. The falsework, which was erected to support the future poured concrete bridge deck, collapsed while being graded with a system of hydraulic jacks and wedges. The failure occurred at Bent Number 122, which kicked out westward, causing all beams, formwork, and reinforcing steel mats between Bents Number 121 and Number 123 to fall to the ground. At the time of accident, Employee #2 was working about 10 ft inside the section that collapsed, near the east end. Employee #1 was near the center of the failed area, and Employee #3 was at the very east end. Employee #3 grabbed the rebar mat and did not fall to the ground, but stopped himself about 10 ft to 12 ft down the mat. He sustained an electric shock. Employees #1 and #2 fell with the formwork approximately 20 ft to 30 ft, ending up in the collapsed structure. Employee #2 sustained cuts and bruises and was treated at a hospital Emergency Room. Employee #1 fractured his ribs and sustained spinal cord injuries. He was hospitalized.

Keywords: FRACTURE, COLLAPSE, SPINE, CONSTRUCTION, LACERATION, RIB, ELECTRIC SHOCK, BRIDGE, CONCRETE, CONTUSION