Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1571046.015 - Los Angeles Department Of Water And Power

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At 10:00 a.m. on July 29, 2021, an employee working as a machine maintenance technician for a metropolitan department of water and power was working on a crew tasked to service a turbine. Specifically, the crew was instructed to clean out animal droppings and remove some insulation blankets from the turbine. The crew was equipped with their standard safety equipment which included a hard hat. The employee was using a 3-gallon Hasson Pest Control Sprayer with a solution to aid in cleaning the animal droppings. The employee began traversing some planks within the turbine while holding the sprayer by the handle at the top of the pump in the retracted position. As the employee was traversing the planks, the sprayer's handle suddenly disengaged and the spray bottle dropped downward causing the employee to lose his balance. The employee let go of the bottle in an attempt to stabilize himself. While attempting to regain stability, the plank suddenly dropped out from underneath him. The employee fell striking some pipes on the way down. The employee was hospitalized to treat spinal fractures and nerve damage. He was treated for 15 days at a medical center after which time we was released to a rehabilitation facility.

Keywords: Back, Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Cleaning, Concussion, Contusion, Engineering Controls, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Fall Protection, Fracture, Head, Laceration, Lack of Engineering Controls, Lost Balance, Maintenance, Nerve damage, Power Plant, Spine, Unsecured, Unsecured Panel, Unstable Position, Unstable Surface, Walking On Plank, Walking Surface, Work Surface