Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314262460 - Vanguard Utility Service, Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Fort Lauderdale Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on May 12, 2010, an employee died while waiting for an elevator on the fifth floor of a residential building. The employee was working in the capacity of a meter installer. A tenant, who resides on the fifth floor, heard a loud noise in the hallway as if someone fell. When she left her apartment to inquire about the sound, she observed the employee laying on the ground moving his hand and gasping for breath. The tenant called the emergency medical services and was instructed by operator to perform chest compressions until the paramedics arrived. The investigation revealed the employee was dispatched to replace the electrical meter on the fifth floor but was not able to because the key to the meter room was not available at the time of the visit. According to a coworker, who was on the first floor replacing a meter, another meter installer had the key to the room, but he was nowhere to be found. The coworker also stated that the new meter that was going to replace the existing meter was lying on the ground besides the employee. There were no contributing weather variables and the scene was clear and had no water or other electrical concerns surrounding the vestibule of the elevator area. The employee died of a heart attack. According the Dade County Medical Examiner's office, the employee died of Acute Coronary Arterial Thrombosis resulting from cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: CARDIOVASC SYSTEM, HEART ATTACK