Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313385494 - Cable Brothers Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:30 p.m. on November 28, 2012, Employee #1, a telecommunication installer, had been performing his duties as a cable installation technician at his employer's facility, for approximately six hours. The employer was Cable Brothers, Inc., a telecommunication cable installation company. Employee #1 was performing a regularly assigned task of installing cable from one telephone pole to the next, in an attempt to install a new telecommunication cable. Employee #1 used his climbing gaffs to climb the telephone pole to the height necessary to install the telecommunication cable. Employee #1 could not use a climbing belt because a plastic conduit pipe ran up the side of the telephone pole. When he reached the working height, he attempted to secure himself with the climbing belt. As Employee #1 was placing the belt under the plastic conduit, his improperly maintained climbing gaff broke out, and he fell approximately 25 feet. Employee #1 sustained fractures to his skull and arms, as a result of the fall from the telephone pole. Employee #1 was transported to St. Francis Medical Center for treatment, and he was hospitalized. Cable Brothers notified the Division about the accident on November 28, 2012. Two employees were working with and in close proximity to Employee #1, and both those employees were interviewed. The investigation concluded that there was an accident-related violation for not properly inspecting and maintaining the climbing gaffs. As a result, the Division issued a serious accident related citation.

Keywords: FRACTURE, INSTALLING, TELECOM WORK, BELT, INADEQUATE MAINT, CLIMBING ON COLUMN, SKULL, FALL, ARM, CUTOUT--GAFF