Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311597033 - Frontier Masonry, Inc.

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

Investigation Summary

On November 26, 2007, Employee #1 and three coworkers, all laborers and scaffold builders, had been assigned by the two foremen to dismantle a 98 ft 7 in. long by 5 ft 1/2 in. wide by 33 ft 9 in. tall scaffold that had been erected along the entire north side of a new, four-story dormitory at Towson University. The scaffold was 28 1/4 in. away from the wall. They were working on different platform levels on the scaffold, moving scaffold planks around before actually starting to dismantle the structure. Employee #1 was on the fourth platform level and he placed one long scaffold plank in the middle of the platform, and then placed a second, 16 ft long scaffold plank. Apparently, he placed the second plank so that it was supported by the scaffold frame at the east end and in the middle, but not at the west end. When Employee #1 walked out onto this plank, he stepped on the unsupported end, causing the plank to flip up. Employee #1 lost his balance and he fell 19 ft 4.5 in., striking the scaffold frames as he dropped and as he tried unsuccessfully to grab onto them. He landed on his feet on the first platform level, and then fell another 7 ft 11 in. to the ground. Employee #1 suffered a slight concussion, multiple contusions, and sore legs. He was transported to a nearby Shock Trauma Center, where he was treated and released later that day. Employee #1 was wearing his hard hat and proper construction footwear. He said that he had done this type of work before and had dismantled some other large scaffolds at this work site. Employee #1 had been at the work site for two to three weeks, and he had received additional on-the-job training.

Keywords: DISMANTLING, UNSECURED, WALKING ON PLANK, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, CONCUSSION, CONTUSION, SCAFFOLD, UNSTABLE POSITION