Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312692106 - Alan Ho, Ph.D Dba Hotel Whitcomb

Inspection Information - Office: San Francisco District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:34 p.m. on September 25, 2011, Employee #1 was working as a room cleaner or housekeeper for Alan Ho, Ph.D., dba the Hotel Whitcomb, in San Francisco, CA. The employer operated a hotel and restaurant business. Employee #1's supervisor was on another floor in the building. Employee #1 was on her way up the stairs to the fourth floor, her assigned floor. Both her arms were full of sheets and linen supplies, when she fell backwards. She barely got up and slowly went to the office, with her right hand bleeding. As she was being attended to, emergency medical services were being called. The emergency responders came and transported Employee #1 to San Francisco General Hospital. She was treated for a fractured right forearm, bruises on the right side of her body, and head pains. She was hospitalized for three nights. Employee #1 and the employer's human resources director were interviewed during the course of the investigation. There were no serious accident-related violations cited. The employee had gone up the stairs with both arms full of housekeeping supplies and had not held onto a handrail to prevent her fall. There were no other violations cited. The incident was reported to the Division on the same day by the San Francisco Fire Department. The employer reported the accident to the Division on September 27, 2011. A Cal/OSHA engineer conducted an investigation on January 4, 2012.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, STAIR, WORK RULES, CLEANING, HANDRAIL, FALL, ARM, LOST BALANCE, CONTUSION