Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120301551 - Irwin Industries Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:10 p.m. on March 10, 1999, Employee #1, a foreman for Irwin Industries (a subcontractor), and a pipefitter, were in the tester T-45 vessel of an oil rig installation off the coast of Long Beach, CA. Employee #1 ascended an A-frame, seven-rung, 8 ft aluminum and fiberglass stepladder to access the outlet accessory piping (the flange or blind) coming out of T-45. The cramped work area near T-45 and the sandy soil and asphalt surface made it impossible to position and use the stepladder in the prescribed manner, so Employee #1 and the coworker leaned the stepladder up against the pressure vessel, more like an extension ladder. When Employee #1 broke the flange connection at the top of the vessel, residual oil product in the line leaked out, so the coworker drained the line into a bucket. As he did this, the oil dripped on the foreman's tools and gloves. He placed the blind at the top rung of the ladder and discovered that the blind was dripping with excess oil. Employee #1 decided to bring the blind down to set it on the ground. He disconnected his harness and lanyard from the flange at the top and began to descend, carrying the blind in his hand, when the ladder shook and he lost his balance. As he flipped over the manifold to his left, his right foot became caught and his right leg and knee were fractured. When Employee #1 struck the ground, he also sustained a bruised right hand and elbow. He was transported to St. Mary's Hospital in Long Beach, where he was hospitalized for seven days. The portable stepladder was used and maintained contrary to the requirements of ANSI A14.5 (as required by T8CCR 3280), with regard to even ground conditions and spreading out the rails at the bottom by extending the metallic spreaders. The other two conditions that contributed to the accident were descending the ladder with the blind/tools in hand, and not maintaining the ladder manufacturer's instructions in a legible condition on the ladder itself. All markings and instructions were obliterated and illegible.

Keywords: FRACTURE, UNEVEN GROUND, UNSECURED, STEPLADDER, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, DESCENDING, FALL, LEG, UNSTABLE POSITION