Inspection Detail

Inspection: 317476430 - East Coast Demolition & Recycling Services, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Charlotte

Investigation Summary

On January 16, 2014, Employee #1, a temporary worker that the controlling employer, East Coast Demolition & Recycling Services, LLC, leased from Labor Ready Mid-Atlantic, Inc.; and Coworker #1, a permanent employee of East Coast Demolition & Recycling Services, LLC, were engaged in demolition work at a one-story brick commercial building. They were raised to a height of 14 feet in a scissor lift that was positioned in front of an interior non-load-bearing masonry wall. They were striking the masonry wall with a sledge hammer when that wall and five other masonry walls suddenly collapsed. Emergency services were called, and Employee #1 was transported to the hospital, admitted, and treated for a right wrist fracture and rib fractures. Coworker #1, when questioned by the emergency responders, stated he hurt his back when the walls collapsed, but he refused to be transported to the hospital. This event was investigated by North Carolina OSHA. The investigation determined that the area where the walls were being demolished measured 1,300 square feet. The investigating Compliance Officer was unable to obtain information on the scissor lift that had been used, because it was turned over and lying in debris. The Compliance Officer, determining that one concrete masonry unit (CMU) corridor wall remained standing but was damaged and bowed, chose not to expose herself to any additional hazards at the site of the collapse. Her investigation determined that the employer had not obtained an engineering survey prior to the start of the demolition. This resulted in a lack of knowledge of how the walls were initially erected and what the best method for removal would be.

Keywords: FRACTURE, WALL, DEMOLITION, DISMANTLING, COLLAPSE, CONSTRUCTION, RIB, AERIAL LIFT, WRIST