Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14997753 - Westbrook Iron

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, age 19, was working about 80 ft above the ground on one of four legs that had previously supported a city water tank. The leg was a box column made of two 12 in. channels riveted to a 1/4 in. by 14 in. wide plate on one side, with 2 1/4 in. by 3/8 in. by 17 in. long lattice bracing riveted on the other side. Employee #1 had used the latticework on the outside as a ladder. The leg was leaning inward toward the tank at approximately 8 degrees. Employee #1 was using a torch to cut through the leg about 18 ft below the top, and intended to let the section he was cutting fall to the ground. No crane or other rigging was being used. An uncut lattice brace was riveted diagonally to opposite channels, with the rivet in one end above Employee #1's cut and the rivet in the other end below it. Before completing the cut, the upper section of the leg collapsed; the uncut brace acted as a hinge and the leg folded over and pinned Employee #1 against the rest of the leg on which he was standing. He suffered multiple internal injuries and bled to death before a rescuer could free him from his safety belt and lower him to the ground. Employee #1 had no experience or training for the type of work he was doing.

Keywords: LOSS OF BLOOD, PINNED, CONSTRUCTION, STEEL COLUMN, CRUSHED, INEXPERIENCE, UNTRAINED, CUTTING AND BURNING