Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125795328 - Babcock & Wilcox Construction Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:55 p.m. on May 8, 1997, Employee #1 and a coworker, of Babcock and Wilcox Construction Company, Inc., were working the night shift at a new electrical power plant construction site in Sacramento, CA. They were positioned on a 16 in. wide steel I-beam using pneumatic impact wrenches to tighten connection bolts on other I-beams. The narrowness of the beam forced them to lie down on it to reach the back side bolts, and to move about in awkward positions. Employee #1 was changing locations when he lost his balance and fell 25 ft 6 in. onto the concrete floor. He sustained multiple broken bones, including two fractured hips, a fractured wrist, and a fractured shoulder. Employee #1 and his coworker were both wearing harnesses and lanyards but they were not properly tied off at the time of the accident. The only tie-off points were the beams that they were bolting.

Keywords: FRACTURE, INSTALLING, SHOULDER, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, LOST BALANCE, TIE-OFF, HIP, UNSTABLE POSITION