Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1449216.015 - Comcast Of Maryland, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

At 12:30 p.m. on December 4, 2019, Employee #1 arrived to a customer's home and began to prepare for a new cable install. In order to perform the new install, Employee #1 had to run a new cable from the power line pole to the customer's house. During employee interviews, Employee #1 stated that after connecting the line to the pole, he went to examine the area around the home so he could determine where on the house he was going to connect the new line. When doing so, he noticed an existing line that was hanging in the customer's yard. According to Employee #1, it appeared like the line was supposed to go to the customer's house. Once he realized that the line was old, he retrieved his ladder and moved it to the power line where it was connected to remove it. This process positioned Employee #1 in the middle of the street, so he grabbed a cone and placed it in front of his ladder to alert drivers he was working in the road. Employee #1 then ascended the ladder, attached his personal fall arrest harness to a flat metal strand that is placed on the power lines for utility companies to attach their ladders and personal fall arrest equipment. After the old line was removed, Employee #1 unattached his harness and descended the ladder. According to Employee #1, as he was on his way down, the ladder shifted and he fell to the street, which was located approximately 25 feet below. The employee broke his wrist and was hospitalized.

Keywords: Broken Bone, Cable, Cable Tv Work, Descending, Descending Ladder, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Fall Protection, Fracture, Ladder, Power Lines, Wrist