Inspection Detail

Inspection: 2455442 - Rodgers Construction, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Fort Lauderdale Area Office

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 AND TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE WAITING FOR A HOIST CAR AT THE 14TH FLOOR. IT WAS JUST BEFORE THE LUNCH BREAK. THE THREE EMPLOYEES WERE LEANING AGAINST A PERIMETER GUARDRAIL, TALKING TO OTHER EMPLOYEES LOCATED TWO FLOORS BELOW. THE GUARDRAIL WAS 104 INCHES LONG, SPANNING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN A TRASH CHUTE AND A MAN HOIST. THE GUARDRAIL WAS SUPPORTED BY TWO CLAMP-TYPE STEEL STANCHIONS ON 81 INCH CENTERS. THE TOE BOARD AND BOTH RAILS WERE MADE OF 2 BY 4 INCH LUMBER. A SHEET OF PLYWOOD, 4 BY 8 FEET AND 3/8 INCH THICK, WAS STORED UPRIGHT AGAINST THE GUARDRAIL AND WAS HELD IN PLACE BY A WOODEN CRATE FILLED WITH GLASS PANELS. ONE OF EMPLOYEE #1'S COWORKERS WAS LOCATED NEXT TO THE TRASH CHUTE WITH HIS ARM DRAPED OVER THE PIECE OF PLYWOOD. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE WAS LEANING WITH HIS HAND AGAINST A PLYWOOD HOIST BARRIER. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS LOCATED BETWEEN THE TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES, LEANING AGAINST THE PIECE OF PLYWOOD WHILE TALKING TO HIS FRIENDS TWO FLOORS BELOW. THE GUARDRAIL SUDDENLY GAVE WAY, ALLOWING EMPLOYEE #1 TO FALL 120 FEET TO THE GROUND. HE WAS KILLED. THE TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES DID NOT FALL BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO HANG ON TO EITHER THE TRASH CHUTE OR THE PLYWOOD BARRIER TO THE MAN HOIST.

Keywords: UNSECURED, WORK RULES, GUARDRAIL, COLLAPSE, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, FALL PROTECTION