Inspection Detail

Inspection: 302930631 - Daniel Zortman Dba The Quality Tower Painting Comp

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Winston-Salem

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, the company owner, Employee #2, age 19, and Employee #3, age 16, were ascending a 1,500 ft tall communications tower. They were using a practice referred to in the industry as riding the line. They were all tied to loops in a 3/4 in. nylon rope, one above the other, with Employee #3 on top, Employee #2 in the middle, and Employee #1 on the bottom. Each man was carrying assorted equipment, such as paint and tools, and an approximately 100 lb rest platform was attached to the bottom of the rope. The men and their equipment were being raised to work areas on the tower by a coworker using a capstan hoist with a 1,000 lb lift capacity. They were going up the outside of the 7 ft by 7 ft by 7 ft guyed tower when the rope on the drum of the capstan hoist became loose. The coworker was unable to control the rope and the three employees and their equipment fell approximately 1,000 ft to the ground. Employees #1 through #3 were killed.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, COMMUNICATION TOWER, HOISTING MECHANISM, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, HOIST, FALL, TOWER, HOISTLINE