Inspection Detail

Inspection: 302415237 - Erie Co Rath Building Fatality 2003

Inspection Information - Office: Nys Dol Pesh Buffalo

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:45 p.m. on March 6, 2003, Employee #1, a Stationary Engineer for the county, was on the roof at Erie County's Rath Building at 95 Franklin Street in Buffalo, New York. He was on the roof of the six-story building checking the expansion tank in the tower sump room. The employee traveled from the east side of the roof to the parapet on the west side of the roof. The distance from the tower sump room door to the interior rail of the window washing apparatus is 137 ft. To access the parapet, the employee had to step over the rails of the window washing apparatus. There was 21.5 in. from the roof to the top of the rail. Each rail was 6 in. wide and they were 23 in. apart. The employee fell off the side and his footprints, in the snow, indicate that he sat on the outside rail before falling. Employee #1 was killed. The County Medical examiner determined that his death was a suicide from the measurements and the calculations taken from the site and from the position of the employee's torso on the roof of the fifth floor level of the building. This is consistent with the Sheriff Department's investigation that ruled out foul play since there is no evidence of anyone else being on the roof and other information developed that provides reason for the employee's action. OSHA's investigation did not reveal any safety violations; as a matter of fact, the employee's assigned duties did not require him to be at or near the edge of the roof. The expansion tank is normally checked on each of three shifts, but during the winter and on high wind days, the third shift was excused from this duty.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, ROOF, FALL, SUICIDE, LEG