Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126126580 - West Covina Unified School District

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on August 19, 1998, Employees #1 and #2 were painting the outside of a classroom of an elementary school. Employee #1 was on a mobile scaffold using an extension brush to paint the eaves, while Employee #2 was on the ground painting the exterior walls of the classroom. After a few minutes, Employee #2 retrieved an extension for the roller that Employee #1 was using, and turned away. While Employee #2 was turning around she heard a noise, she turned back towards the scaffold and saw that it had tipped over in one direction and Employee #1 had fell in the other direction. Another employer had arrived to the site just prior to the accident, Employee #2 told her to summon emergency medical services. Employee #1 was transported to the hospital where she spent three weeks recovering from fracture of the right and left distal radius, right clavicle, right occipital lobe and a concussion. Employee #2 and the other employee examined the scaffold and observed that one of the adjustable scaffold legs had collapsed, causing the scaffold to tip over. The quick disconnect locking ring was forced against the wheel and the adjustable portion of the leg was not visible. Employee #2 had adjusted the legs of the scaffold, by lifting up on the quick disconnect locking ring, adjusting the length, and then re-setting the quick disconnect locking ring. After adjusting all four legs, Employee #2 then locked each wheel and jumped up and down on the scaffold to make sure that the scaffold was secure.

Keywords: FRACTURE, SHOULDER, MOBILE SCAFFOLD, FALL, ARM, PAINTER, OVERTURN