Inspection Detail

Inspection: 308431691 - Harris & Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Jacksonville Area Office

Investigation Summary

On June 9, 2005, Employees #1 through #3 were members of a crew that was applying stucco to a newly constructed building. They had been using a Rustgo manually propelled work platform, model 195, serial #9400108, that had three elevated platforms; the top level was 29 ft high. The 2,900 lb unit was designed to be towed and its base had four rubber tires, each equipped with a hand-brake system. At the time of the accident, the crew was preparing to dismantle the unit and tow it to another location. To do this they first had to move the fully extended unit from a sidewalk near the building. The three employees pushed the unit onto the asphalt parking area, which had an approximately 4 degree slant toward the nearby street. As the unit was being pushed, its forward momentum caused the employees to lose control of it, and it began rolling across the parking area toward the street. All three employees held onto the unit, trying to stop it but it continued moving until it struck a 150-kilovolt overhead power line next to the street. Employees #1 through #3 suffered severe electrical burns, for which they were hospitalized. Employee #3 died on June 11, 2005, as a result of his injuries. Subsequent investigfation determined that while each of the tires had a hand brake, not all of the brakes were working and they had not been repaired.

Keywords: BURN, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, BRAKE, INADEQUATE MAINT, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, MANUAL MAT HANDLING, ELEVATED WORK PLAT, LOST CONTROL, SLOPE