Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310817986 - Maximum Demolition Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on June 6, 2008, Employee #1, a laborer, was working for a demolition company at a job site. The employer was performing demolition on the remains of the structure, which consisted solely of the concrete slab and reenforcing steel (rebar). At the time of the accident, the concrete had already been removed, and the employees were cleaning up the last of the debris and rebar. Employee #1's job was acting as a lead-man and completing clean-up of the site. One operator was working on the lower level, and Employee #1 and the excavator operator were working on the upper level. The excavator operator used the excavator with a grabber attachment to pick up a load of scrap rebar. Employee #1 was walking on the ground on the right side of the excavator, approximately 10 ft to 15 ft away picking up smaller pieces of rebar missed by the grabber. As the excavator operator picked up the load of scrap, another long piece of rebar on the ground which was hidden under the dirt was picked up and bent. The rebar popped up out of the dirt and bent backward, hitting Employee #1 in the knee, fracturing his kneecap and knocking him to the ground. Employee #1 suffered a fractured knee and was hospitalized for three days.

Keywords: KNEE, FRACTURE, DEMOLITION, REBAR, CLEANING, EXCAVATOR, STRUCK BY