Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309442515 - Hazcorp Environmental Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Toledo Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on June 14, 2006, Employee #1, working for Hazcorp Environmental Services, Inc., and two coworkers were performing an asbestos survey throughout a United States Gypsum (USG) paper mill for wallboard. This facility has multiple buildings, operations and floors. The three Hazcorp employees went through a half-hour contractor safety program with an USG engineering manager and were allowed to conduct their survey throughout the facility unescorted. Around 2:00 p.m. the three employees were taking asbestos suspect samples at the fourth floor level of the boiler house. They entered a small room (approximately 8-ft by 16-ft) in the northwest corner of the boiler house. The west side of the room was barricaded by a 3-ft, 6-inch yellow railing which had been installed by USG in January 2006. The railing had no gate and was clearly meant to block passage into that side of the room. The roof over that portion of the room was deteriorated and partially collapsed, leaving a lot of roof debris on the floor area of the barricaded side of the room. The area also contained a 3-ft, 5-inch by 6-ft hole, which at one time was for equipment or a chute (per USG management). USG had placed a piece of styrofoam board over the hole to keep the rain from entering the boiler house and barricaded the area to keep employees from entering that side of the room. Per USG, that area was unoccupied space for their employees the majority of the time. Over time, the roof debris covered the styrofoam board. Thus, the floor area behind the barricade looked like a complete solid surface. The other two HazCorp employees were discussing the need for a sample of the roofing material, which was lying on the floor on the barricaded side when Employee #1 went over the barricade and said he would get the sample. The other two employees did not stop Employee #1 from crossing the barricade or tell him to immediately return from the barricaded area. Employee #1 picked up the roof debris, stepped towards the wall, and fell through the floor hole. He fell 32 feet to the first floor of the boiler house. He most likely struck piping on the way down and landed between the wall and a dumpster. His two coworkers ran down to the first floor. One obtained help from USG and the other contacted 911. Employee #1 was flown by helicopter to Medical University of Ohio, where he was hospitalized in critical condition. He sustained a broken right clavicle, multiple subarachnoid hemorrhages, a left frontal subdural hematoma, right temporal subdural hematoma, pulmonary contusion, basilus skull fracture, and pneumocephalus (presence of air in the intracranial cavity). Employee #1 died from complications of his injuries on June 22, 2006, at 8:30 p.m.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, BARRIER GUARD, WORK RULES, TORSO, FALL, FLOOR OPENING, ASBESTOS, COMMUNICATION