Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315345496 - Shimmick Construction Company Inc

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:50 a.m. on June 27, 2012, Employee #1, a laborer, and Coworker #1, a laborer and supervisor, both employed by Shimmick Construction Co., were working on the face of the San Vicente Dam. They were moving a sprinkler system up and down a large metal form that contained recently poured cement. The cement, which was to increase the height and depth of the dam, had solidified after being kept in the metal form, and the sprinkler system was being used to prevent the cement face of the dam from cracking during the curing process. Employees working on the face of the dam surface use their harness and lanyard to tie off to specific areas of this metal form when performing certain activities on the dam. The metal form has only one area to which employees may tie off. It is called the strong back, is one of the vertical ribs in the back section of this large metal form, and is an anchorage point capable of withstanding at least 5,000 pounds for each employee. Employees are prohibited from tying off to the metal shoes which are attached to the front of the form by a carter pin. However, Employee #1 tied off to the metal shoe when he was moving the sprinkler system. He fell, along with the metal shoe, approximately 40 feet down stairs near the bottom of the dam. Employee #1's lanyard was still attached to the metal shoe when he was found after his fall at the bottom of the dam. Employee #1 sustained a left ankle fracture. He was transported to a hospital and required surgery during several days' hospitalization. Cal/OSHA Division was notified at 10:45 a.m. on June 27, 2012, and initiated its investigation at the employer's office in Lakeside, CA at approximately 7:50 a.m. on July 10, 2012. The employer provides heavy construction services throughout the United States.

Keywords: ANCHOR, DAM, FRACTURE, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, TIE-OFF, CONCRETE, ANKLE, WATER