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Accident: 201956323 - Welder Cuts Support Column, Is Killed By Falling Column

Accident: 201956323 -- Report ID: 0522000 -- Event Date: 03/28/2011
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
31546070903/28/20111795Dean Stevens
On March 28, 2011, Employee #1, a 40-year-old male, was engaged in the demolition of a single story industrial building and was removing a section of a steel overhead I-beam that spanned twenty-six feet in a straight line. The I-beam was supported by three vertical 10 foot H-beam support columns. Employee #1 cut one of the outer most end support columns at the floor level completely in two. After cutting that column, the weight of the remaining steel structure became off balanced and caused the middle column and the third column to fall. Witnesses stated that it appeared that Employee #1 walked under the steel structure after making the first column cut. Witnesses also indicated that Employee #1 looked up as the structure began to fall on top of him, but he could not get away. Witnesses stated that after the worker cut the first column, there was approximately a four to five second pause before it fell over. The collapse started at the south end column, which had been cut, and then the middle column began to pull away from its concrete anchor supports. The third and last column held at the floor anchor supports, but the sheer weight bent that column over causing total collapse. Workers in the area ran to Employee #1's aid and used a 220 Komatsu excavator to lift the beams off of Employee #1 and move it away. Emergency responders pronounced Employee #1 dead at the scene.
Keywords: welder, column, crushed, struck by
End Use Proj Type Proj Cost Stories NonBldgHt Fatality
Commercial building Demolition $50,000 to $250,000 1 18 X
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation Construction
1 315460709 Fatality Other Construction laborers FallDist:
FallHt:
Cause: Demolition
FatCause: Struck by falling object/projectile

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