Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1492505.015 - Villatoro & Munoz Construction, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:00 a.m. on July 29, 2020, Employee #1 and a coworker, working for a general building contractor at a condominium complex, were preparing the worksite for painting. The employees were using 6-foot step ladders placed on a 15-foot balcony to tighten wood screws that secured the balcony railing above them. The forward-facing balcony railing became loose due to rotten wood, causing Employee #1 to lose his balance and fall approximately 19 feet to the ground. The employee suffered a broken upper left leg and a hairline fracture to the neck and was hospitalized for treatment. The incident was reported to DOSH at 11:15 a.m. the same day, and DOSH arrived on-site on August 28, 2020. At the time of the accident, both employees were unsupervised as their supervisor had left the job site to obtain materials from Home Depot. An effective jobsite hazard analysis had not been conducted prior to the incident. The employer has since implemented a scaffold system to prevent further accidents.

Keywords: Balcony, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Fracture, Leg, Lost Balance, Neck, Scaffold, Screw