Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307397315 - San Francisco Fire Department

Inspection Information - Office: San Francisco District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:30 a.m. on January 25, 2007, Employee #1 was working as a firefighter for the San Francisco Fire Department. She had been dispatched to a site in San Francisco where there had been a fire. The fire had already been put out, and a crew was cleaning up debris on the roof. Employee #1 and some coworkers were covering a roof opening of the two-story residential building. Their officer was also on the roof of the building. Employee #1 left the roof first, to hold the bottom of the extension ladder so that her coworkers could descend it. As Employee #1 stepped onto the portable extension ladder with both feet, it slowly started to kick out. Employee #1 let go of the ladder and free fell approximately 20 feet to the ground. She sustained fractures to her lower right leg and ankle. Employee #1 was taken to the San Francisco General Hospital, where she stayed for two-and-a-half weeks while surgeries were performed. Requirements called for a wooden ladder be lashed, held in position, or placed to prevent slipping. When Employee #1 descended the ladder, there was no one holding it at the base. The ladder was not lashed. The ladder was set up on a concrete driveway with a compound slope. The driveway had stains that appeared to be caused by fluid that had leaked from an automobile. The bottom of each side rail of the wooden ladder had a U-shaped footing made of metal. The incident occurred during early morning before sunrise, and moisture in the air might have condensed on the driveway, adding to any wetness it might have. There was another ladder in place, but that ladder was neither lashed nor held. No other violations were observed.

Keywords: FIREFIGHTER, FRACTURE, ROOF, LADDER, FALL, SLIPPERY SURFACE, ANKLE, LEG