Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126186667 - Rkm Framing Corp.

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

On September 23, 2002, a construction employee traveled to a residential site to pick up scaffold bracing for his own work site. The residence under construction had a garage that occupied the whole space under the two-story home. Originally, an open excavation was made for the foundation and a 10-foot tall vertical cut was made at the back of the home. Once the foundation was poured, the owner had a company build a cinder block wall to form the wall of the garage. The space between the rear wall and the vertical cut created a trench. Once the framing was up, the framer placed a plank over the trench to access the other side, where the scaffold bracing was placed. To get the scaffold bracing he needed, the employee crossed the plank. He placed his left foot on the scaffold plank and then took a misstep with his right foot, falling into the trench. He sustained injuries that resulted in his being paralyzed from the waist down. The employee later stated that he used the single scaffold plank in the past as a walkway without any accidents.

Keywords: PARALYSIS, WALKING ON PLANK, CONSTRUCTION, PLANK, UNSTABLE SURFACE, FALL, LOST BALANCE, UNSTABLE POSITION