Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18808857 - Waters Insulation, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1, AN INSULATOR MECHANIC, AND HIS HELPER HAD BEEN INSULATING WATER PIPES LOCATED IN SHAFTS ON ALL 21 FLOORS OF THE BALTIMORE GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY HEADQUARTERS. EMPLOYEE #1 STATED THAT HE HAD, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WORKED INSIDE THE SHAFTS WITHOUT WEARING ANY FALL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS A SAFETY BELT OR LANYARD. HE WAS AWARE THAT THE COMPANY HAD SOME SAFETY EQUIPMENT IN THE HOME OFFICE. HE HAD VOICED HIS CONCERN TO HIS EMPLOYER ABOUT GOING INSIDE THE SHAFTS, AND HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO DO ANY MORE WORK INSIDE THE SHAFTS. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, EMPLOYEE #1 AND HIS HELPER WERE WORKING THE SECOND SHIFT (BEGINNING AT 6 PM). AFTER WORKING AT ANOTHER LEVEL, THEN TAKING A BREAK, EMPLOYEE #1 AND HIS HELPER WENT TO THE 12TH FLOOR. THE EMPLOYEES WHO HAD BEEN DOING THE ACTUAL INSULATING WORK CONTEND THAT THE NIGHT MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR FOR B, G & E HAD INSISTED, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THAT ALL THE PIPES BE INSULATED, EVEN IF THEY HAD TO ENTER THE SHAFTS TO DO SO. EMPLOYEE #1 TOLD THE B, G & E SUPERVISOR THAT HE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO WORK INSIDE THE SHAFTS, BUT THE MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR STILL INSISTED THAT THEY DO SO. FINALLY, EMPLOYEE #1 SAID HE WOULD GO BACK INSIDE THE SHAFT JUST TO GET THE MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR "OFF HIS BACK". EMPLOYEE #1 WENT INTO THE SHAFT ON THE 12TH FLOOR LEVEL, WITHOUT A SAFETY BELT OR LANYARD. AFTER INSULATING SOME PIPES HE SENT HIS HELPER TO THE WORK TABLE TO CUT SOME INSULATION. HE DECIDED TO CLIMB OUT OF THE SHAFT, BUT SLIPPED AND FELL AS HE WAS TRYING TO GET OUT. HE FELL, HEAD FIRST, INTO THE SHAFT, WEDGING HIMSELF BETWEEN THE PIPES AND SOME DUCTWORK. THE OTHER EMPLOYEES TRIED TO RESCUE HIM, BUT ONLY CAUSED HIM TO FALL FURTHER INTO THE SHAFT. AFTER BEING STUCK IN THE SHAFT FOR A HALF HOUR, THE OTHER EMPLOYEES FINALLY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO RESCUE HIM. HE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND TREATED FOR BRUISES, SCRAPES, LACERATIONS, A SLIGHT CONCUSSION AND EFFECTS FROM BEING UPSIDE DOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. HE WAS RELEASED LATER THAT NIGHT. HE LOST FOUR DAY'S WORK.

Keywords: WORK RULES, SAFETY BELT, CONSTRUCTION, SHAFT, LANYARD, FALL, FALL PROTECTION