Inspection Detail

Inspection: 306998907 - Constantine Scourtes

Inspection Information - Office: Tampa Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 20, 2003, Employee #1, the employer, and three coworkers were removing and replacing six support posts on a 24-foot by 30-foot free-standing, open-sided, flat-roofed carport. The carport consisted of six support posts and three open-web steel bar joists spanning across the carport. One steel support post was in place at each end of the three open-web steel bar joists. The six steel support posts were approximately 15 to 30 years old and rusted. Prior to moving the support posts, eight temporary 16-foot aluminum beams, held up by single post shores, were strategically placed end-to-end with two at the front of the carport, two at the rear, and four in the middle. The three open-web steel bar joists were in position with one in the front, one in the middle, and one at the rear. The bar joists were bolted in position and supported by post shores, one on each end. The original bar joists had been removed, sand-blasted, primed, and set back in place. There were two 2-feet by 4-feet joists nailed diagonally on each of three sides of the carport to provide lateral support. The crew started work at the front of the carport and removed the post shores and the two aluminum beams, transferring the weight from the aluminum beams to the open-web steel bar joists, which were bolted in position and had one post shore at each end for support. The top ends of the post shores were bolted to the bar joist and the bottom ends nailed to the concrete slab. None of the single post shores had bracing of any kind. There was one new steel support post on each end of the open-web steel bar joist. The new steel support posts were bolted at the top only. The bottom was left hanging in order to judge where the concrete needed to be placed. As the crew moved to the middle of the carport to begin removing the temporary aluminum beams and post shores holding the aluminum beams in place, Employee #1 and one of the coworkers were turning the screws down on the post shores. The roof started to shift to the left side and forward, causing the roof to collapse. Employee #1 was trapped in the middle under the beams and later died. The coworker, also under the collapsed roof, fell near a pile of concrete rubble, which kept the roof from crushing him. The coworker sustained minor injuries.

Keywords: ROOF COLLAPSE, ASPHYXIATED, HARD HAT, ROOF, COLLAPSE, CONSTRUCTION, CRUSHED, STEEL ERECTION, SHORING, BOLTING