Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300003910 - Spirtas Industrial Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Kansas City Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was conducting demolition work in and around an elevator hoistway. He was using an oxy-acetylene torch to cut steel car rails, counterweight rails, pipes, and wire rope, and was tied-off to a rail support bracket using a full body harness and double lanyard with shock absorber. The hoistway access on the fifth floor of the ten-story elevator was being prepared for a building implosion. The walls of the hoistway, door, and door frame at the fifth floor had been demolished just before the cutting task, and all of the debris had been pushed into the hoistway. The elevator was not being used, but no precautions had been taken to ensure the elevator equipment did not fall during the demolition work. The elevator car was at the first-floor level. The counterweight was at the top of the hoistway, and the hoist ropes were still attached in the usable configuration. The hoist ropes parted while Employee #1 was working on a ledge at the back of the hoistway. The counterweight free-fell down the rails and struck him or his fall-arrest equipment. Employee #1 was dragged or fell the remaining five stories to the bottom of the hoistway. He was killed.

Keywords: DEMOLITION, COUNTERBALANCE, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, DRAGGED, FALL, STRUCK BY, ELEVATOR, FALLING OBJECT, ELEVATOR SHAFT