Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305005118 - Club Sport Green Valley

Inspection Information - Office: Nv-E-Las Vegas 0953220

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:30 p.m. on February 25, 2002, Employee #1 was on his first night being trained on building maintenance duties associated with the graveyard shift. The coworker was walking Employee #1 around the facility pointing out what work needed to be done; like, patching and painting. The coworker and Employee #1 walked through the Receiving Department and outside to a fenced off yard where supplies were brought into the facility. Employee #1 noticed a Genie Personnel Lift, Model PLC-30, standing next to the Receiving roll-up door. The coworker explained that the lift was used for changing burned out lights in the tennis, basketball, and racquetball court and other tasks too high for a ladder to reach. The coworker explained how to use the controls, charge the battery, use the outriggers (that were standing up in a corner adjacent to the roll-up door), and how to maneuver the machine by pushing it around. The coworker watched as Employee #1 got into the lift basket to check out the controls and he then turned away "assuming that lift training was over". Employee #1 hit the control button and ascended to approximately 23 to 25 ft. As Employee #1 started to descend he yelled out to the coworker "it's going over" and stopped the lift. The coworker turned around and attempted to stop the lift from swaying but couldn't. Employee #1 and the lift fell to the concrete surface. The coworker called the Building Operations Manager, Emergency Response and Security. Medical assistance arrived and Employee #1 was transported to a local hospital. Employee #1 sustained a crushed L2 vertebra requiring two rods and six screws in his back. Employee #1 was hospitalized. The outriggers had not been installed on the Genie Personnel Lift.

Keywords: FRACTURE, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, WORK RULES, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, VERTEBRA, AERIAL LIFT