Inspection Detail

Inspection: 304557630 - Bridgman Realty Trust

Inspection Information - Office: Concord Area Office

Investigation Summary

On August 8, 2002 Employee #1 were working at the Jeff Wilmot painting & Wallpapering. A guardrail assembly had been erected at the face of the elevator shaft at the first floor level. The assembly consisted of one shorter 2by4 nailed perpendicularly along the long axis/wide face of a longer 2 by4. After being assembled, the rail was wedged across the opening such that the rail would be held in place by friction - the shorter rail would be held by friction, with the longer piece extending over the end support, which was the face of the shaft ends. The longer piece could prevent the assembly from being pushed inward, but only friction could prevent it from being pushed downward. Employee #1 was killed, at the first floor opening. Employee #2 were working at Bridgman Realty Trust midrail, assembly so that, he could install a concrete stop. He stated that the midrail assembly was in the way when he needed to put the ram set gun into a vertical position to shoot the fastener downward. The top rail was left in place. The shaft way opening was measured to be 58 3/4 inches wide. The shorter component of the guardrail assembly that was displaced was measured to be 58 7/8 inches long, and the longer component was 67 15/16 inches long. The measurements indicated that the 2by4 that was physically wedged across the opening was only 1/8 inch longer than the opening. The ends of the shorter component showed signs of the end fibers being torn, bent and misshapen in an upward and downward plane. The project super and Employee #2 both stated that the rail had been installed and removed several times prior to the Incident. To install the rail, it was cocked down into place and allegedly pounded level with a hammer. Then, when it needed to be removed, it was pounded upward with a hammer. The only eyewitness indicated that the victim had walked over from break and was talking with the witness and Employee#2. Employee #2, then casually leaned onto the guardrail. No midrail was in place as it had been previously removed by the foreman so that a concrete ctop could be installed. The guardrail slipped downward and the victim fell into the shaft way - 13 feet 3 inches to the bottom. Employee #1 was killed and Employee #2 was facture with abrasion, and contusion.

Keywords: MIDRAIL, GUARDRAIL, ELEVATOR SHAFT, RAIL, FOREARM, CONCRETE, POURING, FACE