Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307166280 - Construction Protective Services, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

September 3, 2005, Employee #1 was closing a gate when a large, 500-lb rolling steel gate fell off its track, struck and killed him. The accident occurred at a construction site of an elementary public school involving multiple employers. The gate was part of an automatic chain and sprocket-driven unit involving two retracting gates that met at a center point. The gate served as an entry way to the faculty parking lot. A fence installation subcontractor had finished installing receivers on the gate about an hour before the accident, in preparation for the mechanical linkage installation subcontractor's visit the next day. There were no direct witnesses to the accident. It is believed that Employee #1 attempted to close the gate not knowing that the gate did not have any stops attached to it. According to witness statements, the drawings for the gate system had not called for stops and opening and closing the gate manually had not been part of the gates intended design. The fence installation subcontractor had tied the gate back in the open, retracted position using a 9-gauge galvanized wire, but did not secure the gate in similar fashion after their work had been completed, just prior to the accident. The gate installation subcontractor then left the scene and it is believed the accident occurred sometime after that. There had been temporary fencing set up along the perimeter of the work site, but that temporary fencing had been taken down earlier that same day.

Keywords: CHAIN, STEEL, WIRE ROPE, FENCE, STRUCK BY, FALLING OBJECT