Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125917922 - Marcor Remediation Inc Dba Marcor Environmental

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

At 12:30 a.m. on May 14, 2003, Employee #1 was killed in a serious industrial accident that occurred at the Orange Mall in Orange, California. Employee #1 was an asbestos worker hired by Marcor Remediation Inc. as a full time employee on May 1, 2003. He was one of 13 workers assigned to work at the Orange Mall to perform asbestos removal. On May 14, 2003, at about 10:00 p.m., the supervisor arrived at the job site. He helped his crew prepare the containment area and check their personal protective equipment. The crew made their entry into the containment area at approximately midnight. Seven workers used three scissor lifts to access the ceiling where asbestos removal work was to take place. One worker would wet down the asbestos-containing ceiling drywall boards while the other six used chisels and hammers to break down the ceiling material. The employees performing the removal left the lift platforms and climbed onto the ceiling framework to break down the material. The lift being used by Employee #1 was moved out of the way to allow the material being broken to fall directly onto the floor. The supervisor and the remaining 6 workers were at floor level sweeping up and bagging the fallen debris. The workers performing the breakdown crawled along the wood framework, made of 2-inch by 4-inch wood members, to access adjacent ceiling boards. The structural member on which Employee #1 was located broke, causing him to fall 19 feet to the concrete floor. The employer had not provided the employees with fall protection. Employee #1 died from head trauma and multiple fractures throughout his body shortly after he fell.

Keywords: FRACTURE, TORSO, ASBESTOS REMOVAL, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, AERIAL LIFT, CONTUSION