Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307028316 - Pacific Living Properties

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

On May 21, 2004, an employee, a maintenance manager, was using a plumber's snake attached to an electric drill, to unclog a backup to apartment's kitchen sink. He decided to snake the plumbing via the roof ventilation, rather than the pipes under the sink, because it would take less work to snake the plumbing from the roof. The plumber's snake was 50 feet in length and the extension cord to the drill was 50 feet. The vent to the kitchen sink was within 14 feet from the roof edge, but the extension cord was placed within a few feet from the edge. The employee was within 3 feet from the roof edge, and he tripped over the extension cord on the roof. The employee fell over the edge of the roof and grabbed the edge of the roof and then fell the rest of the way to the ground, 18 ft 3 in. The employee was found on the ground by the housekeeper. The employee had fallen in front of the Laundry room entrance door, between the front door and the exterior wall. The employee sustained 7 fractured ribs, 3 fractured cervical vertebrae, a punctured lung, a bruised left hip, fractured right pelvis, broken tooth, injured his left middle finger, and right shoulder cuff. He was taken to and treated at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, CA. The employee was hospitalized for two and a half weeks, including 3 days in ICU. No guardrails were placed near the edge of the roof and no fall protection equipment was used.

Keywords: FRACTURE, LUNG, MAINTENANCE, ROOF, SHOULDER, PELVIS, RIB, FALL, VERTEBRA, PUNCTURE