Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312695687 - Pacific Structures, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: San Francisco District Office

Investigation Summary

On June 10, 2013, Employee #1, with Pacific Structures, Inc., was showing a coworker the areas that needed additional work, such as grinding/patching or removing nails at the South East wing corner unit. The available area was approximately nine ft four ins. by 10 ft six ins., with two exposed sides guarded by a perimeter cable system. Eight sheets of drywall (either four ft by eight ft or four ft by nine ft) had been stacked on their edges, and these stacks leaned against the perimeter cable. This left less than one ft on each side for Employee #1 and the coworker to get to the perimeter cable to see the nails sticking out of the deck edge of that floor and that of the floor above. It appeared that as they let go of the cable, the stack of sheetrock tipped over and fell on Employee #1's right lower leg, fracturing his tibia and fibula bones. Employee #1 was hospitalized. The cause of the accident was improper stacking and placing of sheetrock. T8 CCR 1549 (d) prohibited stacking sheetrock on its edge unless positively secured against tipping or falling. Moreover, T8 CCR 1549 (e) prohibited placing material inside buildings under construction within 10 ft of an exterior wall, which does not extend above the top of the material unless the material is positively secured to prevent it from falling. No serious accident-related citation was issued because none of the contractors admitted that they had placed the sheetrock in that position. However, the Employer, as well as the Sheetrock subcontractor and the General Contractor, were cited with General Citations under the Multi-Employer worksite Standard (T8 CCR 336.10) as the Exposing, Creating/Correcting, and Controlling Employers, respectively.

Keywords: FRACTURE, UNSECURED, CONSTRUCTION, SUPPORT CABLE, CONCRETE, LEG, UNSTABLE POSITION