Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1503904.015 - Thyssenkrupp Elevator Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At 7:30 p.m. on November 21, 2020, an employee working as a journeyman elevator technician for an elevator maintenance contractor had been tasked with troubleshooting and repairing a Matot Ambassador Dumbwaiter, State ID # 119818, that was malfunctioning. The employee had over 30 years of experiencing working as a mechanic on elevators and had worked on dumbwaiters in the past. The employee had been on-call when he received a dispatch to the grocery store to perform a fairly routine task. The employee began to troubleshoot the unit at which time he entered the hoist way of the dumbwaiter through the door of the adjacent unit from the first floor. The employee had failed to lock and tag out the electrical disconnect for the dumbwaiter units and had removed a sign that indicated work was being done within. The employee grabbed a broom in order to use the handle to manipulate the door of the malfunctioning unit. While the employee was performing his work, a coworker who worked for the grocery store called an adjacent dumbwaiter unit. The unit caught the employee and dragged him upwards to the second floor trapping the employee. The responding Fire Department had to cut a piece of angle iron in order to extract the employee. The employee was hospitalized to treat crush injuries including multiple fractures to his chest. The employee was discharged after 11 days.

Keywords: Catch Point, Chest, Crushed, Elevator, Fracture, Installing, Lockout, Lockout/Tagout, Maintenance, Mechanic, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Multi-employer Worksite, Multiemployer, Repair, Struck Against, Troubleshooting, Unsafe Position, Warning Sign