Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1714144.015 - Hawk & Son Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Austin Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 28, 2023, an employee working as a painter for a painting contractor was working with a coworker (owner/employee's father) spray painting the outside of a commercial building. The crew was painting up to 20-feet using a 24-foot extension ladder and a 6-foot stepladder. The employee fell from the ladder to a lower level sustaining a head injury. The employee was hospitalized. On October 5, 2023, the employee was pronounced brain dead and on October 8, 2023, he died. The employee's stepfather provided video of the worksite taken some time during the 5 days of work. The video, which the stepfather provided to OSHA, does not have anyone in frame but shows the two ladders and spray paint apparatus. The extension ladder is setup on pavement with both feet solid on the surface and appear to have the rubber footings. The angle of the ladder appears to meet the requirement of 4:1 ratio. The ladder is leaning upon a solid surface at the top on the metal wall of the building. The visible area of the area being repainted on the existing building.

Keywords: Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Brain, Commercial Building, Concrete Surface, Construction, Contusion, Extension Ladder, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Fall Protection, Head, Ladder, Multi-employer Worksite, Multiemployer, Spray Painting, Stepladder, Work Surface