Inspection Detail

Inspection: 809361.015 - Landrum Construction

Inspection Information - Office: Cincinnati Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 3:45 p.m. on January 3, 2013, an employee was killed in a fall while framing a structure. The accident occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the construction of a new residential structure. The employee, a carpenter, was engaged in what is called "punch out" which is a term used when the perimeter exterior walls have been set and detail framing is being performed on the interior wood framing to add strength to wood framed corners and details to the door and window jams. The employee had been assigned by a supervisor to work on the second floor. Three other carpenters had been assigned by this supervisor to work on the third floor setting floor joists. Earlier that day the supervisor had stored three individual stacks of plywood over the second floor stairwell opening. The employee, in conjunction with performing punch out duties, would hand plywood up to the employees as needed to sheath the third floor. It is unclear exactly what task the employee was performing just prior to the accident as there were no witnesses to the event. The investigation was able to determine that at some point during the operation all of the plywood sheathing was removed from the stairwell opening which revealed the open side and edge of the stairwell opening. The employee fell 10 ft through the opening of the stairwell to the lower concrete garage floor. The employee suffered blunt force trauma to the back of the head at impact as result of fall. He was found directly below the stairwell opening and was not wearing any personal fall protection equipment at the time. A coworker found the employee unconscious. CPR was performed and a 911 call was placed. The emergency responders pronounced the employee dead at the scene.

Keywords: Fall, Fall Protection, Floor Opening, Head, Residential Construction