Inspection Detail

Inspection: 107732398 - Brown Printing Company

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

AT 2:15 PM ON JANUARY 23, 1988, A LARGE SECTION (ABOUT 150 FEET LONG AND 100 FEET WIDE) OF THE ROOF OF A PRINTING PLANT COLLAPSED. AS THE ROOF COLLAPSED, THE SOUTH CONCRETE BLOCK WALL OF THE BUILDING FELL TOWARDS THE OUTSIDE. EMPLOYEES #1 AND #2, PRESSMEN ON THE LARGE HARRIS PRINTING PRESSES INSIDE THE PLANT, WERE KILLED WHEN STRUCK BY FALLING MATERIAL. EMPLOYEES #3 AND #4, ALSO WORKING INSIDE THE PRESSROOM, WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED DUE TO FALLING MATERIAL. THEY WERE REPORTED TO BE IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION THE FOLLOWING DAY. EMPLOYEE #3 SUSTAINED A FRACTURED PELVIS. EMPLOYEE #4 ESCAPED WITH CONTUSIONS AND LACERATIONS ON THE SCALP AND BACK. THE OTHER INJURED EMPLOYEES (#5 - #9) SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION. A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION PROVIDED NO EVIDENCE OF EXPLOSION OF OTHER UNUSUAL FACTORS THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ROOF COLLAPSE. THE FLAT ROOF, APPROXIMATELY 28 FEET IN HEIGHT, WAS AN INDUSTRIAL TYPE ROOF WITH METAL TRUSSES AND COLUMNS BELOW THE ROOFING MATERIALS. IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ROOF COLLAPSE, AN IN DEPTH ENGINEERING STUDY OF THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND COMPONENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN INSPECTION OF THE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED.

Keywords: FRACTURE, HEAD, ROOF, WALL, BUILDING COLLAPSE, BACK, PELVIS, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, CONTUSION