Inspection Detail

Inspection: 308768969 - Larry G. Britt D/B/A Britt Roofing

Inspection Information - Office: Jackson Area Office

Investigation Summary

On October 21, 2005, Employee #1 and two coworkers were working on the roof of a two-story apartment building in Starkville, MS. A fourth employee, their foreman, was on the ground adjusting the air compressor output pressure. The foreman, and the three men on the roof, had already finished tearing off the old roof, and had installed felt paper over the plywood decking of the 4.8:12 sloped roof. They were not using any form of fall protection. The three men still on the roof were putting down red-chalk guidelines prior to installing shingles. They had already marked the spacing, and had snapped the initial chalk- line 11 inches above the south eave, as well as another line 20 inches above the first line. Successive lines would be snapped every 20 inches thereafter up the roof's south side. Either before or after snapping the parallel line at 51 inches above the south eave, one worker noticed that the chalk-line needed to be rolled up and rechalked. After reeling the chalk-line into the chalk-box, Employee #1 and one coworker moved toward each other, and Employee #1 grabbed the free end of the chalk-line. Employee #1 began walking backward toward the west, while the coworker held the chalk-box, and moved toward the east. The second coworker was standing below the other two employees, and was prepared to snap the line in the middle once it was pulled taut. The two coworkers stated that Employee #1 simply walked backward until he fell off the west end of the roof. Employee #1 fell approximately 18.5 ft to 19.8 ft to the concrete parking lot. Coworkers called 911, and Employee #1 was transported by ambulance to the Oktibbeha County Hospital in Starkville. He was then transferred by ambulance to the Baptist Memorial Hospital, and subsequently died.

Keywords: HEAD, ROOF, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, ROOFER, FALL, CONCUSSION, WALKING BACKWARD, WORK SURFACE