Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: FALLING

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina: The employer did not furnish each of his employees conditions of employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the hazard of approximately 12 - 18 feet falls to the lower ground level: a)site - on or about 08/25/05, employees were exposed to an approximately 12 feet high truss structure collapse when adequate diagonal and/or lateral bracing was not installed per the engineered site truss plan while installing approximately 54 feet long prefabricated wood trusses onto the top plate of a room addition for the existing Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine facility. b)site - on or about 08/25/05, employees were exposed to an approximately 12 feet truss structure collapse when appropriate 2x4 or greater size marked lumber, or 10 feet long lumber for temporary bracing was not used per the engineered site truss plan while installing approximately 54 feet long prefabricated wood trusses onto the top plate of a room addition for the existing Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine facility. c)site - on or about 08/25/05, employees were exposed to an approximately 12 feet truss structure collapse when inappropriate wood bracing/blocking was used which was old, dry, and brittle with visible defects while installing approximately 54 feet long prefabricated wood trusses onto the top plate of a room addition for the existing Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine facility. d)site - on or about 08/25/05, employees were exposed to an approximately 12 feet truss structure collapse when appropriate lateral and/or diagonal braces which overlapped at least 2 trusses was not used per the engineered site truss plan while installing approximately 54 feet long prefabricated wood trusses onto the top plate of a room addition for the existing Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine facility . e)site - on or about 08/25/05, employees were exposed to an approximately 12 feet truss structure collapse when at least 2 each 16d size nails was not used on each connection for all bracing/blocking per the engineered site truss plan while installing approximately 54 feet long prefabricated wood trusses onto the top plate of a room addition for the existing Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine facility . f)site - on or about 08/25/05, employees were exposed to an approximately 12 feet truss structure collapse when not made aware of the existence of a site truss plan, not briefed and/or trained on truss installation per the engineered site truss plan and/or not installing truss IAW the site truss plan while installing approximately 54 feet long prefabricated wood trusses onto the top plate of a room addition for the existing Carolina Family Practice & Sports Medicine facility. One feasible and acceptable abatement method, among others, to correct this hazard is to develop and/or establish written procedures on proper materials and equipment usage, train employees on applicable and acceptable established procedures, brief and orient employees to the specific engineered site truss plan to be utilized at this site, prohibit employees from performing and/or attempting to perform inappropriate and unsafe procedures, and enforce established and/or applicable policies and procedures for material and/or equipment usage. Reference: Hazards recognized and addressed in engineered site truss plan and industry standard Commentary and Recommendations for Handling, Installing and Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, HIB-91, copyright 1991 by Truss Plate Institute, Inc.