Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315318667 - Alten Construction, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:15 a.m. on July 12, 2012, Employee #1, of Alten Construction, Inc., was working on the construction of a new veterinary hospital at the Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA. His employer was the general contractor managing the construction. Employee #1, a carpenter's apprentice, was working on some interior wood framing on the second level of the structure. He was sent by a coworker, a temporary foreman, to locate a power source for the work they were performing. On the lower level, in the hallway, Employee #1 found an extension cord that could be used upstairs. No other employees were in the area. The cord was spread out along the floor in the hallway, but ran underneath a stack of several pieces of sheetrock. The stack of sheetrock was leaning on its long edge, against the hallway wall. Employee #1, working by himself, attempted to free the cord from under the sheet rock. Kneeling near the right side of the stack, Employee #1 was steadying the stack with his left hand, while trying to free the cord with his right hand. Employee #1 lost control of the stack. The stack tipped over onto him. He required hospitalization and treatment for a fracture of the right lower leg. This accident was reported to the Cal/OSHA Division by the employer at 12:24 p.m. on July 12, 2012. Investigation determined that the sheetrock should not have been stacked on its edge without being positively secured against tipping over; however, the employer allowed materials to be stacked in this manner. In addition, Employee #1 misjudged this hazard when retrieving the extension cord.

Keywords: FRACTURE, INSTALLING, WALL, UNSECURED, CARPENTER, CONSTRUCTION, STRUCK BY, LOST CONTROL, LEG