Inspection Detail

Inspection: 429591.015 - Kennebec Home Improvements

Inspection Information - Office: Augusta Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on May 15, 2012, Employee #1, an employer and coworkers were raising and leveling a cottage with a set of wooden 6 in. by 6 in. supports on 6 in. thick by 18 in. diameter concrete pads. They were also using crow bars, claw hammers, measuring tapes, blocks of wood, seven 12-ton automotive bottle jacks, gas winch and other lumber and stones. Three 12-ton automotive bottle jacks had been set up underneath the center of the cottage. The soil was saturated from days of rain. The wood blocks had a base of 6 in. by 6 in. by 2 ft. Between the block base and the jack there were multiple 6 in. by 8 in. by 2 in. blocks. They had completed the first two posts and were working on the third, when the cottage shifted to the west and north and crashed down on the two workers. As the cottage shifted to the west, it was prevented from going to the ground by a plastic tote filled with crushed stone and some trees. Employee #1 was about 6 ft under the north side of the cottage. He was on his knees bent over, in between floor joist, when cottage crashed down upon him. Employee #1 was pinned down and his head was driven into ground. Employee #1 died from fractures to his neck and back. Employee #2 (the employer) was laying down perpendicular to Employee #1. Employee #2 suffered minor injuries to his shoulder and back.

Keywords: Crushing, Hydraulic Lift, Jack, Residential Construction, Struck By, Structure Moving, Unstable Load, Unstable Position