Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126202852 - Control Air Conditioning Corp.

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on March 23, 2009, Employee #1, a pipefitter, was working at the construction site of a four-story hospital. He was working from a 10 foot A-frame ladder to access piping during the installation of an HVAC system. The piping needed to be welded. Employee #1 ascended the ladder, and was straddling the top rung, while a coworker held the ladder steady from the ground. As Employee #1 welded the HVAC piping, he lost his balance and fell from the ladder, landing on his head. He was knocked unconscious. Employee #1 was taken to UCLA Hospital, where later died due to multiple traumatic injuries. The accident investigation revealed that the employer had an adequate safety and health program that, which Employee #1 attended. The training included several ladder safety training sessions that covered explicit rules prohibiting unsafe ladder use, including the banning of unsafe practice of straddling A- frame ladders. No citations were issued.

Keywords: HEAD, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, LADDER, STRUCK AGAINST, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, CONCUSSION, LOST BALANCE