Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126062884 - Douglas Galloway

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Inspection Nr: 126062884

Report ID: 0950641

Date Opened: 12/15/2003

Site Address:
Douglas Galloway
15225 Larch Ave.
Lawndale, CA 90260

Mailing Address:
1222 Portola Ave., Torrance, CA 90501

Union Status: NonUnion

SIC:0783

NAICS: 561730/Landscaping Services

Inspection Type: Accident

Scope: Complete

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 12/15/2003

Emphasis: S:Agriculture (Aship)

Case Closed: 06/17/2004

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	362579526

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1			2		3
Current Violations	1			2		3
Initial Penalty	$10,800	$0	$0	$250	$0	$11,050
Current Penalty	$10,800	$0	$0	$250	$0	$11,050
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event
1.	01001	Other	1509 A	05/21/2004	07/09/2004	$125	$125	$0	06/21/2004	D - Govt Dismissed
2.	01002	Other	1509 B	05/21/2004	07/09/2004	$125	$125	$0	06/21/2004	D - Govt Dismissed
3.	02001	Serious	3421 C	05/21/2004	05/26/2004	$10,800	$10,800	$0	06/21/2004	D - Govt Dismissed

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 201165610

Event: 12/15/2003

Employee is Suffocated While Working in Tree

On December 15, 2003, Employee #1 had contracted with the owner of a small apartment complex in Lawndale, CA, where he was a tenant, to work on two palm trees. The owner wanted one removed and the other trimmed. Employee #1 normally worked as a tree trimmer and gardener and had the necessary equipment to trim trees. He was assisted by his cousin, who worked as a gardener. Employee #1 and his cousin had cut down the first tree and were trimming dead fronds from the second tree. To accomplish this, Employee #1 climbed the tree using his tree climbing spikes and a safety belt with a lanyard. Working from below, he began pulling the fronds free from the tree. They were interlaced, though, and did not fall at first. When he had pulled a sufficient quantity of fronds free, the weight of the free ones pulled the remainder of them down. They slid as a single unit down the tree, like a doughnut on a post. The weight of the fronds pinned him in his belt against the tree, suffocating him. The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded, to no avail.

Keywords: ASPHYXIATED, PPE, SUFFOCATED, PINNED, CRUSHED, TREE, TREE TRIMMING

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	126062884			Fatality	Asphyxia	Groundskeepers and gardeners, except farm

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