Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14813448 - Beltex Corp

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

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEES WERE CUTTING SKYLIGHT AND AIR INTAKE HOLES IN A 22 GAUGE STEEL ROOF, WHOSE PANELS MEASURED APROX 26' X 4'. THE OPENINGS WERE 72" X 48". THE TWO WITNESSES HAD JUST CUT TWO PARALLEL 72" LINES WHEN THE SAW BLADES BECAME DULL. THEY CHANGED ONE BLADE BUT WERE UNABLE TO FREE THE FROZEN ARBOR NUT ON THE SECOND. EMPLOYEE #1, THE FOREMAN, CAME OVER TO ASSIST. THERE WAS AN OVERLAP OF TWO SHEETS OF STEEL APPROXIMATELY 24 1/2" FROM THE START OF THE CUTS. AT THESE SEAMS EVERY 5' WAS A 1/4"X 2" BOLT USED TO HOLD THE PANELS TOGETHER BETWEEN THE JOISTS. THIS BOLT WAS APPROX 8" FROM THE EAST CUT. ALONG THE JOISTS THE DECKING WAS SECURED BY THE SAME SIZE BOLTS EVERY 12". THE JOISTS RAN N.TO S.WHILE PANELS RAN E.TO W. WITNESSES WERE AT THE NW CORNER OF THE CUT. THE INJURED WAS ON THE W SIDE APPROX 24" FROM THE START OF THE CUT. IN ORDER TO SECURE BETTER FOOTING THE INJURED STEPPED BACK AND ONTO THE SEAM OF THE DECK PANELS. THE INJURED WEIGHED APPROX 230#. THE BOLT ON THE SEAM RIPPED OUT, OPENING THE AREA BETWEEN THE CUTS APPROX. 47 1/2" SIMILAR TO A TRAP DOOR. THE INJURED FELL THROUGH AND DOWN TO THE 6" THICK CONCRETE DECK BELOW APPROX 16'7".THIS MEASUREMENT WAS TAKEN WITH ALUFKIN 50' STEEL TAPE & THE BLUEPRINT LABELED "BRANDON I LOT 9, PROJECT 0101.9, DRAWING S-2. THE EQUIPMENT WAS A STEHL METAL SAW SER #TS-30. INJURED SUSTAINED 2 BROKEN WRISTS, BRUISES TO THE HEART & LUNGS AND CHIPPED LEFT CHEEKBONE. EXACT LOCATION WAS BETWEEN SUPPORTS D-1 E/E-1, SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF D-1, 15' 10 1/2" FROM THE EDGE OF THE SOUTH WALL. OVERLAP OF PANELS WAS 1 1/2" AT THE BOTTOM & 3" AT THE TOP. JOIST SEPARTION 5'4" C TO C. CAUSE: FAILURE OF FOREMAN TO RECOGNIZE A HAZARDOUS CONDITION.

Keywords: FRACTURE, ROOF, FALL, ROOF OPENING, CONTUSION