Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315533083 - Select Plastering Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On March 23, 2013, Employee #1, a 23-year-old male with Select Plastering Inc, was working at a subdivision of new single family homes in Brea, California, and was installing exterior lath paper on the backside of a two-story single family home. Employee #1 was on the first level of a two level frame scaffold when he stepped between the scaffolding and the building where there was a wall opening and fell to the ground approximately 7 ft. below. The inboard edge of the scaffold platform was 5 in. from the building and the working level was fully planked with three standard scaffold planks with top rails and mid rails installed on the open side. The scaffold ties were in place. The supervisor (competent person) and the three workers had inspected the scaffold that morning and the employer provided documentation of such. The scaffolding had been erected by the employer on March 12, 2013, by the company's scaffold crew. The company's lathers started installing the exterior lath paper on the homes beginning on March 21, 2013 and was scheduled to finish on or about April 14, 2013. Employee #1 fell through the wall opening that had been constructed to fit a standard 6 ft. by 8ft. patio sliding door, of which the header for the opening was approximately 18 in. above the working platform. The day of the incident it was Employee #1's first day with the employer; however, he had five years of experience working as a lather for other companies. Employee #1 stated that he did not realize there was an opening where he was working until he fell. Employee #1 also stated that he stepped on the edge of the scaffold plank while placing the paper and not having the wall to push back on with his foot, he lost his balance and slipped through the opening down to the ground. The two other lathers who were installing paper on the two other sides of the home, they did not see the fall, but heard his shout for help and responded. Employee #1 was transported to UCI Medical Center was admitted for surgery due to a fractured leg. Employee #1 was released three days later.

Keywords: FRACTURE, RAIL, FALL, MIDRAIL, UNTRAINED, OPEN-SIDED FLOOR, LEG, SCAFFOLD, SCAFFOLDING