Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312088172 - Division 4 Masonry Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Indiana Department Of Labor

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:22 p.m. on June 26, 2008, Employee #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 along with coworkers were constructing masonry walls inside a building. The exterior of the building was only partially erected with no roof structure, doors, etc. The work area was completely exposed to the weather, including wind. They were constructing a masonry wall with 12-in. by 8-in. by 16-in. concrete blocks, Number 7 rebar, and grout. They were working from an approximately 27 ft tall, 80 ft long fabricated frame scaffold. The wall reached approximately 20 ft high. They were in the process of installing rebar and grouting into the cores, when a severe thunderstorm rapidly approached from a westerly direction. The general contractor's superintendent came to the area and asked Employee #4, the masonry foreman, to cover and brace the wall. Employee #4 and others removed scaffold planks from their scaffold and placed them on top of the wall to keep rain out of the hollow cores of the blocks. They then proceeded to the east side of the wall and attempted to install some bracing to keep the wind from blowing the wall over. Strong winds, up to 52 mph overturned and collapsed the wall. They were struck by the concrete block and crushed by the weight of the wall materials. According to Employee #4 two or three of the braces may have been installed, but could not be certain that any were completed. One brace that Employee #4 and Employee #5 were installing was not complete. They were attempting to drive a rebar stake in the ground to hold the brace in position when the wall fell. Employee #4 and #5 survived without major injuries as the brace they were installing may have deflected the falling wall around them. Employee #1, #2, and #3 were crushed and killed.

Keywords: HIGH WIND, WALL, COLLAPSE, CONSTRUCTION, CRUSHED, FALL, STRUCK BY, SCAFFOLD