Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300496551 - Sam Fulmore Masonry

Inspection Information - Office: Fort Lauderdale Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on January 7, 1998, Employee #1 and a coworker were standing on a scaffold platform about 11 ft above the lower level, finishing a concrete block wall at the entrance to a single-family home under construction. A gust of wind precipitated the collapse of the newly completed wall. Employee #1 and his coworker jumped or were pushed from the scaffold. Employee #1's head and back struck the concrete floor as he landed, and he was transported to the hospital, where he later died. His coworker landed on his knees and hands. He suffered multiple contusions and scratches, and needed to use crutches for about month because of the trauma to his knees and ankles. Two other coworkers were on the ground near the scaffold when the wall collapsed. They were struck by falling concrete blocks and suffered head lacerations that required staples to close. The scaffold did not have guardrails and the employer did not have any other personal fall arrest system in place. The wall was not braced to prevent its collapse.

Keywords: HEAD, HIGH WIND, GUARDRAIL, WALL, COLLAPSE, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, BRACING