Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14973267 - Yeargin Construction Company Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

AT 2:30 PM ON APRIL 24, 1986, EMPLOYEE #1 AND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WERE INSTALLING PLATFORM GRATING AT THE 22 FOOT LEVEL AT A WASTE FUEL STRUCTURE. THEY HAD CUT THE GRATING TO THE PROPER LENGTH AND EMPLOYEE #1 WAS PREPARING TO MEASURE FOR A NOTCH THAT WOULD BE PLACED AROUND A POST. EMPLOYEE #1 UNHOOKED HIS SAFETY BELT AND STEPPED ON THE GRATE TO TAKE A MEASUREMENT AND TO TOSS A PIECE THAT HE HAD JUST CUT UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL. HE BELIEVED THAT THE PIECE ON WHICH HE WAS WALKING ON WAS RESTING ON THREE CROSS MEMBERS, WHEN IN FACT IT WAS RESTING ON TWO. THE PIECE OF GRATING PIVOTED AND TURNED OVER, CAUSING EMPLOYEE #1 TO FALL 10 FEET TO THE GRATING AT THE NEXT LOWER LEVEL. THE EMPLOYEE LANDED FEET FIRST, BOUNCED OFF AND FELL TO A FINISHED CONCRETE SURFACE AT GROUND LEVEL. THE EMPLOYEE SUFFERED A BROKEN ARM. THE EMPLOYEE AND HIS FOREMAN LATER SAID THAT THEY ALWAYS TIED OFF WHEN IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DO SO. HOWEVER, AN EXPERIENCED IRONWORKER WHO HAD 4 TIMES THE FOREMAN'S EXPERIENCE SAID THAT THE JOB SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY (THE EMPLOYEE COULD HAVE, AND SHOULD HAVE, TIED OFF). THE EMPLOYER HAS SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR ALL CRAFTS EXCEPT IRONWORKERS. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC GUIDEANCE FOR INEXPERIENCED IRONWORKERS. (EMPLOYEE #1 HAD 4 MONTHS ON THE JOB.)

Keywords: FRACTURE, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, UNSTABLE SURFACE, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, ARM