Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. OSHA citation items will be posted 30 (thirty) days after the employer receives the citation(s), except in cases of significant public interest. Posted citation items reflect any amendments to citations that are the result of a prompt settlement, which OSHA encourages. Employers and employee representatives will continue to receive copies of the citation(s) upon issuance.

Inspection: 1449658.015 - Sunbelt Rentals Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Cleveland Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 9:30 a.m. on December 2, 2019, Employee #1, a 50-year old male, fell from a 10-foot fiberglass ladder while attempting to repair/troubleshoot a 14-foot mechanical garage door. Employee #1 attempted to raise and lower the door via the mechanical controls. Coworkers stated that they were able to hear the mechanical gears moving, but the door was not functioning. At that point, the coworkers attempted to utilize the manual controls (a rope chain that manually winds the internal controls of the garage door opener to raise and lower the door) to raise and lower the door. This manual process released the tension, which was supporting the raised garage door. Then Employee #1 placed a 10-foot fiberglass step ladder directly under the overhead door and began to diagnose the problem. Employee #1 found that the base of the garage door (bowed inward) was stuck on the lip of the cross beam and utilized a 3-foot piece of steel rebar to pry the door free. As Employee #1 released/pried the bottom of the door off the ledge of the cross beam/catch point, the stored energy forced the garage door to rapidly close, striking Employee #1 and the ladder, causing the employee to fall from the ladder. The coworkers stated that they did not attempt to lockout/tagout the energy source prior to attempting to fix the issue. The coworkers also stated that Employee #1 was on the ladder, a coworker was holding the base of the ladder, and an additional coworker and the foreman were approximately 15 feet inside the bay assisting/watching and providing verbal assistance during this process. The manager called 911, EMS arrived and transported the employee for treatment for fractured hips. The employee was hospitalized.

Keywords: Chain, Door, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Falling Object, Fracture, Hip, Ladder, Lockout/Tagout, Overhead Door, Rebar, Repair, Troubleshooting