Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126029115 - Scott Company

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 had climbed 3 ft on an 8 ft stepladder to observe a coworker working on an air vent above an electrical panel that was at a height of approximately 6 ft 6 in. He talked with the coworker for approximately 10 minutes before the coworker turned his back and resumed his work. The coworker then heard a thud behind him and turned around to see Employee #1 lying on the floor. The coworker later stated that Employee #1 never made a sound before falling. He called Employee #1's name several times and when there was no response, he jumped down and ran to get help. Paramedics transported Employee #1 to St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, where he was treated for a fractured right femur. He was hospitalized on the day of the accident, but the emergency room doctor's report also indicated that "the patient's computerized tomography scan is abnormal for a frontal mass suggestive of a tumor." The diagnosis at the end of the emergency room report indicated a right femur fracture, new onset seizure, and intracranial tumor. This supported the hypothesis that Employee #1 had suffered a seizure, causing him to fall from the ladder. He was admitted to St. Joseph's Medical Center on April 28, 2000,and on May 10, 2000, underwent surgery for a craniotomy. Postoperative MRI scans on May 11, 2000, showed complete surgical removal of the tumor.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, STEPLADDER, CONSTRUCTION, FAINTED, FALL, BRAIN, LEG