Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313381923 - Bonterra Consulting, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:45 p.m. on July 14, 2010, , two wildlife biologists were determining the status of a spotted owl's nest as part of a spotted owl survey when Employee #1 suffered fatal injuries from falling down a canyon wall in the Angeles National Forest. An employee passed away at the scene. The canyon wall's slope is variable and appears to be anywhere from 0.75:1 to 1:1 with a total elevation of approximately 200 feet. At the time the accident occurred, The employee and the coworker had split up as a safety precaution to take separate paths down the canyon wall in order to avoid knocking gravel down on each other. They were separated by approximately 100 to 150 feet. The coworker heard the employee yell out as he fell. As the coworker reached the employee at the bottom of the canyon, he noticed that the employee had suffered a gash to his head and arm, possible broken bones, and scrapes to his body. The exact location where the employee might have slipped or lost his footing and fallen was unknown, as is the fall distance from where that might have occurred.

Keywords: FALL, LOST BALANCE, WORK SURFACE