Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126099332 - Sbc Communications Inc Dba Sbc West

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:23 p.m. on July 22, 2003, an employee was working on a terminal at a service pole at a customer site. The responsibilities of service technicians were to install and repair telephone service at customer sites. On the day of the accident, the employee was assigned to a customer complaint at the site address. The employee climbed the service pole located in the customer's yard to inspect the terminal and drop wire. As the employee was descending the service pole, his tools and climbing belt became caught on the branches of a tree which were growing around the pole. The employee's climbing belt was pulled away from his body, lost tension from the pole, and he fell down the pole. The employee's right leg was impaled by a permanent polestep during the fall, which stopped his fall, but left him hanging by the right leg. The employee was able to pull the right leg from the polestep and fell the remainder of the distance to the ground. The employee was transported to Kaiser Permanente Sunset Facility where hospitalized and treated for puncture wound on his right thigh.

Keywords: IMPALED, STUCK, STRUCK AGAINST, THIGH, FALL, WORK SURFACE, LEG, PUNCTURE