Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101627750 - Meadowlands Fire Protection Co. Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Hasbrouck Heights Area Office

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 AND TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES LEFT THE GROUND FLOOR OF A BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION. (THIS WAS EMPLOYEE #1'S FIRST DAY AT THE SITE.) THE THREE EMPLOYEES TOOK AN EXIT WHICH WAS NORMALLY BLOCKED BY A 20 CUBIC YARD TRASH CONTAINER. HOWEVER, AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT, THE TRASH CONTAINER WAS BEING REPLACED BY AN EMPTY ONE. NONE OF THE THREE EMPLOYEES WERE WEARING A HARD HAT. AS THE THREE WERE LEAVING THE BUILDING, TWO LABORERS, ON THE 23RD FLOOR, WERE MOVING SOME BRICKS WITH A "BRICK TONG" TOOL. THEY WERE MOVING A STACK OF SEVEN BRICKS TO THE FLOOR EDGE IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR USE ON A MULTIPLE POINT SUSPENSION SCAFFOLD WHICH HAD JUST BEEN RAISED TO THE 23RD FLOOR. THE SEVEN (7) BRICKS FELL FROM THE TONG, WHICH WAS BADLY BENT AND MISSHAPEN (DEFECTIVE). TWO (2) BRICKS BOUNCED BETWEEN THE FLOOR EDGE AND THE SCAFFOLD. ONE BRICK STRUCK EMPLOYEE #1 ON THE HEAD, KILLING HIM. THERE WERE TWO (2) PROTECTED ENTRY/EXIT POINTS FROM THIS BUILDING WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN USED BY THE THREE EMPLOYEES.

Keywords: HEAD, WORK RULES, BRICK, CONSTRUCTION, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT