Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305747040 - Home Depot U.S.A. Inc. -Store 3651

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

Investigation Summary

On August 5, 2002, Employee #1 and #2, of Associated Sprinkler Company and three coworkers, of Lowder, Inc., were waiting their lunches near a recently-installed 20ft wide by 23ft tall, 40,000lb reinforced concrete tilt-up wall panel. The wall suddenly fell on the workers, killing Employee #1 and #2 and one of the coworkers, and injuring the other two coworkers. The temporary braces for the wall panel had been removed approximately two hours earlier by the contractor and before permanent connections at the roof and base had been made. According to the job specifications, the wall panel was to have been welded to the roof, grouted to the footing, and tied into the floor slab by a pour-back strip before the braces were removed. None of these connections had been made, as a result once the braces were removed; the wall panel was free standing , on a set of shims. In additions, an independent testing company was supposed to inspect all welds and issue a report. The report was incorrect in indicating that all the welds were complete when, in fact, two wall panels were not welded at all, one of them being the panel that fell.

Keywords: STRUCK BY, WALL, UNSECURED, WORK RULES, BRACING, OVERTURN, CONSTRUCTION, CRUSHED