Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314826934 - Jeffrey Lay Custom Painting, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:28 a.m. on September 14, 2011, Employees #1 and #2, painters, were performing work on a commercial building. Employees #1 and #2 were performing a regularly assigned task of painting the facade of the building, including the letters of the client's name located on the roof. Employee #1 set a 24 foot extension ladder against the edge of the roof just below the facade. Employee #1 climbed up the extension ladder and placed a 6-foot A-frame ladder on the roof, and placed the legs of the ladder on the outside of the side rails of the extension ladder that was leaning against the fascia board. Employee #1 placed the ladders in this way to brace the A-frame ladder, and to prevent it sliding down the composition shingle roof. Employee #2 first went up with a bucket of paint and a brush and painted some letters. Employee #1 stood on the lower rungs of the extension ladder and leaned into the ladder to stabilize it while Employee #2 was on the A-frame ladder. Employee #2 painted several letters, then climbed down. Employee #2 gave Employee #1 the paint bucket and brush, and he brought down the step ladder and handed it to Employee #1. Employee #1 moved the extension ladder to the right to access the next letters in the sequence. When Employee #1 had climbed the ladder halfway, Employee #2 gave him the A-frame ladder to carry. Employee #2 held the bottom of the extension ladder to stop movement. Employee #1 climbed up the extension ladder and placed both feet on the A-frame ladder that was lying flat on the roof. Employee #1 then placed both feet on the A-frame ladder. The ladder slid down, and pushed against the extension ladder. It knocked the extension ladder down, and Employee #1 fell 11 feet and hit the asphalt parking lot below. Employee #1 sustained multiple fractures to his pelvis and left arm. Emergency services were called, and Employee #1 was transported to the local hospital, where he was hospitalized for ten days. The investigation concluded that the employer did not utilize personal fall arrest, personal fall restraint, or positioning systems for the work to be done. As a result, the Division issued one Serious Accident-related citation, CCR, Title 8, CSO 1670 (a), and three General violation citations.

Keywords: FRACTURE, LADDER, PELVIS, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, ARM, PAINTER