Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307395764 - Robeck'S Welding & Fabrication, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: San Francisco District Office

Investigation Summary

At about 4:30 p.m. on July 10, 2006, Employee #1 was welding framework on several floors of a building. He first welded a pony wall on the eighth floor and moved to the next floor up. As he was welding framework on the ninth floor, a coworker cautioned him that the wind was becoming stronger on the eleventh floor and that he should proceed to work on the eleventh floor. The employee moved to the eleventh floor to proceed with his work. After finishing there, he saw that something was on fire on the tenth floor. He descended using a scaffold cross bracing and saw a burning string mop leaning against the inside of a plywood safety barrier. The employee attempted to extinguish the burning mop to no success. He was provided with a fire extinguisher but did not have it with him. He then kicked in the safety barrier to determine whether the fire had spread. There were no other objects on fire. After failing to put out the mop's flame, he decided to descend to the eighth floor, where he wouldn't have to maneuver on a scaffold. As he was going down the scaffold bracing, he slipped and fell about 9 ft onto the roof level of the eighth floor. The employee had not been directed to use the scaffold bracing over the scaffold ladder as a climbing mechanism. Employee #1 sustained a fractured ankle and was hospitalized.

Keywords: FRACTURE, FIRE EXTINGUISHER, FIRE, SLIP, CONSTRUCTION, WELDING, DESCENDING, FALL, ANKLE, SCAFFOLD