Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307376525 - Arc Construction Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

On December 1, 2004, Employee #1 and three coworkers working as laborers were assigned to remove sections of steel beams, conduit pipes, and metal plates from the west walls of the fifth floor of an old grain refinery building. Employee #1 was the lead person, and decided he and his coworker should cut the steel out first. Before removing the steel beams, Employee #1 and his coworkers repositioned the mobile scaffold to where they wanted make the first cut on the steel beams. The four wheels were locked in place and placed on top of plywood squares. Employee #1 climbed up onto the scaffold frame to the top of the work platform. Once on the top platform Employee #1 pulled up the cutting torch with a piece of rope, he proceeded to cut four different sections of steel beams and dropped them to the floor. Employee #1 cut the fifth section it did not fall. On the third hit Employee #1 was cutting and hitting the struck the 6 feet long steel beam with the sledgehammer to dislodge it, it fell horizontally to the floor bounced approximately 30 inches hitting one corner wheel of the scaffold, knocking it back one foot hitting the scaffold causing Employee #1 to lose his balance falling to the concrete floor face first and hitting his head. Two coworkers ran over to Employee #1 to assist him. Emergency rescue squad arrived and proceeded to work on the employee. Employee #1 died at the scene.

Keywords: BEAM, CHAIN, PLATFORM, STEEL, GRAIN, LACERATION, FALL, CONCRETE, LEAD, SCAFFOLD