Fall Protection - Case Studies
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Robin Baker, Robert
Downey, Mary Ruth Gross, Charles Reiter
Labor Occupational Health Program
(LOHP) School of Public Health,
University of California, Berkeley Ca.
These case studies
are part of tailgate/toolbox talks that were developed for use under
California OSHA regulations. The American Conference of Government
Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has adapted these talks to apply to
federal OSHA regulations.) To contact ACGIH, visit its website (www.acgih.org) |
Laborer Killed
in Fall Through Roof
A 40-year-old laborer/helper died when he fell through an opening in a
warehouse roof. He fell approximately 27 feet to the floor below.
The employer was demolishing the roof of the warehouse portion of a commercial
building. Work was done at night because the coal tar on the roof would
release hazardous gases if disturbed in the heat of the day. The site
had adequate halogen lighting. None of the workers on the job were using
fall protection.
After the roofing material was removed, 4x8 foot sheets of plywood were
exposed. Any damaged sheets needed to be replaced. The helpers job
was to follow the workers who were replacing the plywood, and to pick
up the damaged sheets of plywood they had removed. He disposed of them
in a chute.
On this evening, one worker had removed a sheet of damaged plywood, but
had run out of nails to attach the replacement plywood. He walked away
to get more nails. The opening where the damaged plywood had been was
left unguarded. The crew was not informed that it was temporarily unguarded.
The opening was covered by silver-colored insulation inside the roof.
The helper came along, picked up the sheet of damaged plywood, and headed
for the chute. He stepped into the opening, ripped through the insulation,
and fell.
April
20, 1998
What should have
been done to prevent this accident?
Preventive Measures
Cal/OSHA investigated this accident and made the following recommendations.
Employers should:
- Have Site Safety
Plans addressing potential hazards which could lead to injury or death.
- Ensure that roof
openings are not left unprotected, unguarded, or uncovered.
- Equip all workers
on the roof with fall protection (such as harnesses and lanyards). A
retractable lanyard would allow the helper to do his job and still have
fall protection.
- Require that
all hazards on the site be communicated on an ongoing basis to all workers
in the area.
This
Case Study is based on an actual California incident. For details, refer
to California Dept. of Health Services, Occupational Health Branch, Fatality
Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report #98CA005.
Ironworker
Dies After Falling Off Beam
A 42-year-old structural ironworker foreman died when he fell off a steel
beam in an incomplete warehouse roof. He fell about 38 feet to the floor
below.
The employer was installing the final structural steel beam (bar joist)
in the roof of a new cold storage warehouse under construction. After
a crane lifted the beam into place, it was not quite straight and the
ironworker foreman wanted to use a hammer to straighten it.
The area where the foreman needed to work had been barricaded with wire
rope safety lines on all four sides, but he removed these lines to gain
access. He was not using fall protection equipment.
The foreman was standing on a portion of roof decking that had already
been completed. To get to the beam, he reached his left foot out over
an open, undecked area of the roof. He rested his left foot on the nearest
joist girder. As he was preparing to strike a blow with the hammer, his
foot slipped off the girder. His hands caught the bar joist, but he couldnt
hold on and fell.
June
29, 1998
What
should have been done to prevent this accident?
Preventive
Measures
Cal/OSHA investigated this accident and made the following recommendations.
Employers should:
- Require everyone
working at heights to wear fall protection equipment.
- Make sure openings
are properly covered or otherwise protected.
- If possible,
provide alternate means of access to the work, such as an aerial lift
(zoom boom).
This
Case Study is based on an actual California incident. For details, refer
to California Dept. of Health Services, Occupational Health Branch, Fatality
Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report #98CA010.
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