Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310489075 - Mederos Electrical Services

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on September 25, 2007, Employee #1 was climbing on a ladder to replace a defective light bulb. The employer had been called to the location, a used car dealership, to repair or replace defective overhead light bulbs on the sales lot. On the day of the injury the employer determined that an overhead light bulb atop a light pole in the east sales lot was not illuminated while other light bulbs on the same circuit were illuminated. The owner concluded that only the light bulb would need to be changed. The owner assigned Employee #1 to change this light bulb while he diagnosed the problem with other lights at the sales lots. The area of the defective light bulb was congested with used utility vehicles for sale, so the owner decided to have Employee #1 use a ladder to access the defective light bulb rather than use the aerial work basket attached to his service truck. The owner provided a Werner 16-ft aluminum extension ladder for Employee #1 to place against a four-inch light pole to access the defective light bulb that was 19 ft above the ground. Employee #1 placed the ladder against the light pole and secured the top cleat of the ladder to the light pole with a twisted electrical wire. The owner left the area for a short period of time, and as he was returning he observed Employee #1 descending the ladder with the light bulb in one hand. Employee #1 immediately began to fall from the ladder, strike his head on a van parked on the sales lot, and continue to fall out of his view, between two parked vans. The owner immediately went to the area where he found Employee #1 unconscious, bleeding from the face area and in full cardiac and respiratory arrest. Employee #1 also sustained burns to his hands and forehead which may have been caused by electrical contact. Employee #1 was revived by paramedics, and transported to the hospital where he had brain surgery and remained unconscious for 30 days. Employee #1 was transferred to a Rehabilitation Center where he remained. Employee #1 sustained brain damage, was unable to walk, or care for himself, and has no recollection of the accident or injury he sustained.

Keywords: HEAD, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, LADDER, LIGHTING FIXTURE, FALL, CONCUSSION, FACE, BRAIN