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Accident: 202451753 - Two Employees Fracture Legs When Steel Column Falls

Accident: 202451753 -- Report ID: 0950642 -- Event Date: 10/04/2005
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
30716672810/07/20051791Anvil Steel
On October 4, 2005, Employees #1 and #2 were working for a firm erecting wide flange, square tube structural steel for a two-story, single family residential construction project. The first story structure had been completed. The columns had been secured by anchor bolts, but the beams were held in place by temporary tack welds. The on-site supervisor then directed that the second-story columns be put in place before the temporary tack welds were replaced with permanent welds. This is the normal practice. At one point, a column for the second level was bolted to a beam in error, and a crane was needed to remove it. Employee #1 placed a ladder against the column and climbed it with a choker sling. His weight and that of the ladder against the column broke the tack welds holding its supporting beam. The beam rotated away from Employee #1, causing the ladder to fall with the column and its beam. Employee #1 jumped off the ladder a distance of about 10 feet to the cement pad below. He sustained a fracture to his right leg. Employee #2, working on the ground near the base of the ladder but with his back to the event, sustained a fracture to the left leg, as well as other injuries. Employee #1 was hospitalized, but there is no injury line for Employee #2. The main causal factor for this accident was inadequate bracing of the column.
Keywords: fracture, steel beam, ladder, welding, steel column, steel erection, fall, struck by, falling object, leg
End Use Proj Type Proj Cost Stories NonBldgHt Fatality
Single family or duplex dwelling New project or new addition Under $50,000 2 24
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation Construction
1 307166728 Hospitalized injury Fracture Construction laborers FallDist:
FallHt:10
Cause: Erecting structural steel
FatCause: Fall from/with ladder

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