Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18856732 - M Schnoll & Sons Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

TWO PAINTERS WERE ASSIGNED THE JOB OF PAINTING OUT THE LOGO ON A CYLINDRICAL LIQUID OXYGEN TANK WHICH WAS 60 FEET TALL AND 40 FEET IN DIAMETER. THE WERE ALSO TO PAINT ON A NEW LOGO. THEY WERE USING A TWO-POINT SUSPENSION SCAFFOLD, SUPPORTED BY NEW 3/4 INCH MANILA LINE AND 3-PART FALLS. THE UPPER BLOCKS WERE HUNG FROM HALF INCH WIRE ROPE SECURED TO THE TANK DOME'S SUPERSTRUCTURE. THE BLOCK HOOKS WERE TIED TO THE WIRE ROPE LOOPS, BUT NOT MOUSED ACROSS THE HOOK OPENING. THE TANK TOP WAS ACCESSIBLE VIA A SPIRAL STAIRWAY. THE SCAFFOLD WAS EQUIPPED WITH GUARDRAILS. THE TWO MEN WERE PROVIDED WITH SAFETY BELTS AND SUFFICIENT ROPE FOR RIGGING LIFELINES. THEIR TRUCKS WERE ROUTINELY LOADED AT THE SHOP WITH ALL NECESSARY EQUIPMENT. HOWEVER, THE TWO PAINTERS, IGNORING COMPANY POLICY, TIED THEIR LIFELINES OFF ON THE SCAFFOLD'S GUARDRAIL, OR NOT AT ALL, RATHER THAN TO THE TANK. ON THE THIRD MORNING OF THE THREE-DAY JOB, THE TWO EMPLOYEES WERE HOISTING THEMSELVES UP. AT ABOUT THE 33 FOOT LEVEL, ONE FALL BECAME UNHOOKED AT THE TOP, DROPPING ONE END OF THE SCAFFOLD. EMPLOYEE #1, APPARENTLY NOT BELTED OFF, FELL AND BROKE BOTH LEGS AND FRACTURED HIS SKULL. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE CLIMBED THE RIGGING TO THE TOP OF THE TANK AND DESCENDED THE SPIRAL STAIRWAY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FAILURE OF MATERIAL IN THE SCAFFOLD OR SUSPENSION.

Keywords: FRACTURE, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, SLIP, TWO PT SUSP SCAFFOLD, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, PAINTER, LEG, SCAFFOLD