Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311001085 - Briggs Rainbow Buildings, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Oklahoma City Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 17, 2007, Employee #1, who worked in sales, was taking measurements on different roofs at a motel complex in preparation for capping the existing surface with a metal-over roof. He had measured one roof and had taken photographs of the site, including the nearby power lines. Employee #1 was starting to measure a second roof when the back of his head and his right shoulder contacted the overhead power line. The current exited him through the metal tape measure he was holding and continued down to a roof corner, where the tape measure was in contact with metal flashing. After receiving the electric shock, Employee #1 fell between 21 and 26 21 ft onto a concrete walkway, landing head first. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died. Employee #1 suffered severe electrical burns to his head, arms, fingers, and torso. It appears that Employee #1 was not aware of his proximity to the power line or how close the line was to the roof. In addition, it was apparently hard to gauge the power line's position because there were no vertical reference points nearby. Contributing to the accident was that Employee #1 had not been instructed on safe approach distances to high voltage power lines.

Keywords: BURN, CLEARANCE, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ROOF, WORK RULES, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, UNTRAINED, INATTENTION