Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313507980 - Valew Quality Truck Bodies Dba Valew Welding & Fab

Inspection Information - Office: San Bernardino District Office

Investigation Summary

On Friday, February 12, at or about 12:30 a.m., Employee #1, a permanent employee at Valew Welding & Fabrication of Adelanto, CA, sustained a fractured right ankle when he lost his balance and fell backwards from a ladder and landed on his right leg. Employee #1 was holding a welding torch on his right hand on the 4th rung of a ladder (WERNER 20 feet metal ladder, 300 lbs capacity) and made a cut on a 25,000 gallon metal tank. Employee #1 decided to go up one rung higher while pulling the cable to make additional cut on the tank. He went up to the 5th rung but the cable was wound-up in front of the cart. He then lost his balance fell backwards while the ladder slid to the side and he landed on the concrete floor below (approximately 44 1/2 inches high from the 4th rung) and broke his ankle. The ambulance came to the scene first and the Fire Department Emergency Response arrived at the scene minutes later. Employee #1 was transported by the ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital in Apple Valley where he was treated, prescribed with pain medication and released about 5 hours. Approximately 8 hours later, Employee #1 went back to the hospital due to severe pain. Employee #1 was admitted in the hospital where he underwent surgery and hospitalization for a period of three days.

Keywords: FRACTURE, LADDER, TORCH, FALL, ANKLE