UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309910743 - At&T Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Ca Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At 6:00 p.m. on August 6, 2008, Employee #1, a regular employee systems technician for AT & T Services OCS Division, was performed work on the cellular installation on the roof of the Public Storage building in Torrance, California. He was descending to the third floor through a pneumatic-assisted metal hatch above a fixed metal ladder, on the third floor wall. Employee #1 used the hatch to access the roof. However, he did not use that hatch cover before that day and did not know how it would close. That hatch cover, when released of descending rapidly until about 2 ft from the operator's head, was starting coasting slowly down as the pneumatic cylinders compressed. Employee #1 stepped onto the ladder, pulled the hatch toward him, and then began descending. Employee #1 thought that hatch cover was going to hit his head. While avoiding the hatch, Employee #1 lost his balance and fell 10.5-ft from the ladder to the floor. Employee #1 sustained a compound fracture to his left arm. Employee #1 was taken to the Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, California, where he underwent a surgery on his arm and was hospitalized for two days.

Keywords:fracture, cover, installing, roof, hatch, ladder, fall, arm, lost balance