Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112146162 - Accu-Crete

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys Mining & Tunneling District Office

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS STRUCK BY A FALLING SECTION OF WIRE MESH REINFORCED CONCRETE PUMPING HOSE. THE HOSE, WHICH IS 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER, 20 FEET LONG, AND 132 POUNDS, WAS BEING LOWERED BY HAND USING A 3/8-INCH POLYPROPYLENE ROPE THROUGH A 16-INCH DIAMETER PIPE OPENING IN THE ROOF SLAB OF A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SUBWAY STATION. THE UPPER EDGE OF THE VERTICALLY INSTALLED PIPE WAS SHARP AS A RESULT OF BEING CUT TO LENGTH WHEN FITTED. THE ROPE WAS DAMAGED FROM RESTING AND MOVING ALONG THE PIPE EDGE, CAUSING THE ROPE TO SEPARATE AND ALLOWING THE HOSE TO FALL. THE HOSE SECTION FELL APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET FROM THE ROOF AREA INSIDE THE STATION, THROUGH A FLOOR OPENING IN THE MEZZANINE LEVEL, TO THE TRACK LEVEL (WHICH WAS THE PLANNED LANDING LOCATION). THE HOSE STRUCK TWO WORKERS WHO WERE WALKING THROUGH THE TRACK LEVEL AREA. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS INJURED WHEN THE END OF THE HOSE, WHICH HAS METAL FITTINGS, STRUCK HIS RIGHT SHOULDER, FORCING HIM DOWNWARD AND TO THE RIGHT. HIS RIGHT HAND LANDED ON THE CONCRETE WALKWAY AND THE END OF THE HOSE STRUCK HIS RIGHT HAND AS IT CONTINUED DOWNWARD. THE OTHER WORKER WAS STRUCK BY THE OTHER END OF THE HOSE AS IT CONTINUED TO FALL, BUT HE WAS NOT INJURED. BOTH WORKERS WERE EMPLOYED BY THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR BUT THE OPERATION THAT RESULTED IN THE FALLING HOSE WAS UNDER CONTROL OF A SUBCONTRACTOR. THE SUBCONTRACTOR DID NOT WARN THE WORKERS WHO WERE STRUCK BY THE HOSE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE AREA AND THE OPERATION WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF THEIR LINE OF VISION AS THEY APPROACHED THE AREA.

Keywords: SHOULDER, ROPE, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, HOSE, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT, HAND, WARNING SIGN