Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301135257 - Agc Communications

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:45 p.m. on February 19, 2003, Employee #1, a 54-year- old telecommunications line technician, was going to relocate an existing cable service drop to a new Broadband-Cable Fiber-optics service. Employee #1 was working in a public roadway and was using a mid-span hook extension ladder. Employee #1 hooked the ladder to a telephone service horizontal strand approximately 20 ft above ground level. He set it to a 4:1 pitch and ascended. Since the roadway had an approximately 4-degree grade, the self-adjusting mid-span extension ladder hooks did not secure the ladder to the horizontal strand. The ladder was supported by one hook. As Employee #1 reached the top of the ladder, the ladder rotated outward and slid to Employee #1's left. Employee #1 saw that the ladder had become displaced and to control his fall he jumped off. Employee #1 fell approximately 18 ft to the ground. He sustained compound fractures of his legs and was transported to Summit Hospital Oakland, California.

Keywords: FRACTURE, EXTENSION LADDER, TELECOM WORK, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, LEG