Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309303238 - West Coast Structures Inc Dba Western Structures

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On September 16, 2008, Employee #1 and two coworkers, all foremen, were building a structure intended to serve as a junction point for three storm water drains that had been laid and would be connected to the structure. Employee #1 was building the wooden form for the structure. He was standing on the upper half of a ladder that was propped against a 72-inch diameter concrete storm drain pipe that was to be connected. Using a rotary hand-held saw, he began to cut off the top of the concrete form for the structure, to make it even. He was holding the rotary saw with both hands while he was cutting, but when he leaned to his left he began to lose his balance. He let go of the saw with his right hand to steady himself, but accidentally put it down on the saw, which was still in the cutting position in his left hand. Four fingers on his right hand were severely lacerated by the operating saw. Emergency personnel transported him to a local medical center, where he was hospitalized for treatment and surgery to reattach one finger. The employer builds structures that connect large concrete storm water drains.

Keywords: ROTATING PARTS, INSTALLING, FINGER, LADDER, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, SAW, LACERATION, CONCRETE PIPE, LOST BALANCE