Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310568621 - A K J Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:30 a.m. on December 14, 2006, two employees were working on the rooftop of a five-story apartment building. The roof had a slope of 8-to-12 and had a ground-to-eave height of approximately 51 ft. The employees accessed the roof by climbing out of a dormer window, with a sill height of 39.5 in., and then climbing onto the rooftop. The employees were wearing personal fall arrest systems and positioning belts. Both employees carried 50-ft life line ropes on each shoulder. The framing contractor had previously installed roof anchorage as attachment points for the fall arrest systems at the peak of the roof. The employees walked 40 ft from the window to the attachment points. One employee attached his lanyard first. Employee #1, the victim, proceeded past the employee to the next attachment point, slipped, and fell before he attached his lanyard. The rooftop was wet from the moisture of the fog and morning dew. Employee #1 fell 46 feet to the concrete surface below. Employee #1 was transported to a local hospital with head trauma, facial injuries, and multiple bodily injuries. Employee #1 died at 8:44 a.m. on December 14, 2006. The employees previously accessed the roof from a flat section of the roof, but it had been recently framed in. The employees did not have safe access to the roof to attach their personal fall arrest systems.

Keywords: ANCHOR, HEAD, ROOF, PPE, SLIP, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, SLIPPERY SURFACE, CONCUSSION