Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305476152 - Asplundh Tree Expert Co Electrical Const Services

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on March 3, 2004, an employee and his work crew were reconfiguring the wiring going to a power pole. Just prior to the accident, the employee had completed making secondary dead ends on the lowest of three cross arms. He had been working from a Baker board. He had stepped back onto the pole with the intention of removing the Baker Board. The employee had reconnected his safety strap. He leaned forward to reposition the safety strap. When he leaned back, the safety strap had detached from the belt. He fell backward onto some telephone lines below him and then to the concrete below. After the accident, the Klein Double Locking Snap Hook on the adjustable-loop side of the safety strap was found to be in an opened condition. The keeper had failed to return to the nose of the snap hook. The snap hook had no signs of exterior damage. The safety strap had been first put into use two weeks prior to the accident, when the employee was hired. The employee had acquired the new belt in January 2004 in anticipation of coming to California to work. The safety strap was removed from the belt at the end of each day and reattached the next workday. Apparently, when the employee put the belt and strap together that morning, the snap hook on the left side of the belt failed to close. The employee suffered a compound, shattered left elbow, fractured pelvis, fractured left shoulder and humerus. His left hand was broken in four places, and the hearing in his left ear has been adversely affected. He was in hospitals until April 5, 2004. Two surgeries were performed on the elbow and one operation was performed on the humerus.

Keywords: FRACTURE, SHOULDER, PELVIS, FALL, ELBOW