Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. Please be aware that the information shown may change, e.g. violations may be added or deleted. For open cases, in which a citation has been issued, the citation information may not be available for 5 days following receipt by the employer for Federal inspections or for 30 days following receipt by the employer for State inspections.

Inspection: 1508346.015 - Building Zone Industries

Inspection Information - Office: Ca Fresno

Investigation Summary

At 8:00 a.m. on December 9, 2020, Employee #1 and coworkers, employed by a construction company, were engaged in installing roof decking for a new three-story concrete commercial building. Employee #1 was sitting on a riding anchor cart that was used for fall protection and preparing to fasten joist corners to secure a decking panel and pin the decking lap seam. A coworker was operating a "Mex-Master" modified articulating lift with a hydraulic component to raise a new decking panel. The hydraulics on the lift failed to make a clean release, causing a joist to deflect. As coworkers applied tension to the joist in an attempt to move it into the proper position, a 5-inch gap appeared between the newly placed decks that compromised the decking's structural integrity. Employee #1 had been 60 feet away, but he apparently drove the anchor cart over to the area where the problem was. The decking gave way, and Employee #1 and the anchor cart fell 41 feet. Emergency services transported Employee #1 to the hospital for treatment of traumatic head and neck injuries and a fractured leg. He died at the hospital six days later.

Keywords:anchor, blunt force trauma, cart, construction, decking panel, equipment failure, fall, fall protection, falling object, fracture, head, hydraulic lift, installing, joist, leg, neck, roof, roof decking, structural coll