Inspection Detail

Inspection: 302483193 - Irby Construction Company

Inspection Information - Office: Tennessee Osha Nashville Office - Safety

Investigation Summary

On March 12, 1999, Employee #1 and two coworkers, of the Irby Construction Company, were on a telecommunications tower in Dickson, Tennessee. The approximately 480 ft tall was triangular and about 3 ft on a side. The workers were moving a cell phone antenna from the 200 ft level up to the 330 ft level, a job they had already been doing for two days. At the time of the accident, they had been on the tower for approximately 3 hours. They had just finished for the day when Employee #1 fell 330 ft to the ground and was killed. He had been wearing a personal fall arrest system consisting of a body harness, a lanyard with a deceleration device, and a double lanyard with shepherd hooks. The workers were required by Irby Construction to be tied off 100 percent of the time. Employee #1 was also wearing a safety strap, which was used when the workers got into their work positions.

Keywords: COMMUNICATION TOWER, TELECOM WORK, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, TIE-OFF