Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: FALLING

Nevada Revised Statute 618.375(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees: The employer failed to ensure that the place of employment was free from recognized hazards in that: At Level 2 of the West/East Podium, City Center construction site, a crew of ironworkers and a Foreman were tasked to bolt in 22 steel embed plates to install another floor. Employee #1 and #2 were working from a scissorlift (lift) at a height of approximately 26 feet and had been using a drill to make holes in the concrete beams and columns prior to bolting in the embed plates. The drill had been plugged into a yellow extension cord that was tied to the top rail of the scissorlift which extended from the lift to the concrete floor and across to a spider box located approximately 30 feet away. At approximately 1330 hrs., having completed the last holes, Employee #1 boomed down to Level 1 and the Foreman delivered a steel embed plate into the lift with a forklift. The Foreman and Employee #3 met Employee #1 and #2 back up at Level 2 to decide what equipment would be needed to hold the steel embed plates in place while the expandable bolts were put in. At approximately 1400 hrs., the Foreman and Employee #3 went down to Level 1 to obtain the equipment needed and to retrieve another steel embed plate. The Foreman backed the forklift away from the lift, made a "Y" turn and proceeded forward towards the pallets of steel embed plates. The Foreman heard Employee #1 and #2 shouting, turned his head to look behind him and saw the lift falling over to the concrete floor. Employee #3 turned around and saw that the yellow extension cord was tangled up in one of the forklift wheels. As a result, Employee #1 and #2 rode the lift to the ground, sustained numerous serious injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital: a.The employee and foreman were not aware of the restrictions of not attaching items to the platform / guardrails or of coiling up and stowing electrical cords and hoses when not in use. A yellow extension cord was tied to the top rail of the guardrail as well as an air compressor hose and were not coiled up and stowed away until needed. Reference: Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Aerial Platform, Safety Manual for Operating and Maintenance Personnel, copyright 1989, revised 6/95, 2/02, manual located in the scissorlift at the time of the accident investigation: Page 32 -Raise and Lower Safety (cont'd.), "WARNING: Never attach wire, cable or similar items to the platform. Should they tangle or catch on a fixed object, your machine could tip over." Page 33 -Work Safely, "When the platform has been raised into the working position, be extremely cautious to prevent any object from striking or interfering with the operating controls. Secure all tools, equipment or other materials place on the platform to keep them from shifting or falling. Keep ropes, electrical cords and hoses coiled and stowed away when not in use." One feasible means of abatement would be to ensure that all scissorlift operators and employer representatives read and understand the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Aerial Platform Safety Manual for Operating and Maintenance Personnel normally located in the scissorlift and was to be read prior to operation as well as the Genie Scissorlift manual and ANSI A92.6, Self-Propelled Elevating Work Platforms.