Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program |
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Novice Drywall Installer Dies in 7-foot Fall from Scaffold |
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SummaryOn February 1, 2006, a 22-year-old drywall installer fell from a scaffold while hanging sheetrock at a construction project at a private residence, and died 2 days later. The installer had been on the job only 2 weeks and was inexperienced. He was working with a lead worker as a two-man crew. The two workers arrived at the site in the morning, where a barn was being converted into a shop, and set up a scaffold to a height of about 7 feet. The scaffold was placed about 1 foot from the wall, the lead worker locked the wheels on his end, and the two workers climbed onto the scaffold to hang 12-foot pieces of sheetrock on the shop wall. The installer was holding the sheetrock against the wall when the scaffold suddenly moved backward, causing him to lose his balance and fall. He hit his head on the concrete floor. The victim was transported to a hospital, where he died 2 days later.
Recommendations:
Back to TopIntroductionOn February 1, 2006, a 22-year-old Hispanic drywall installer was fatally injured in a fall from a scaffold at a construction project at a private residence. OR-FACE was informed 2 days later by OR-OSHA. An OR-FACE investigator conducted interviews. This report is based on information from interviews, and Oregon OSHA and the medical examiner reports. The employer, a non-union Oregon drywall construction company, had been in business for over 16 years. The firm employed 20 Hispanic workers. Daily work assignments generally involved drywall spraying and patching, and scaffold and material delivery. Most drywall hanging jobs were subcontracted to other firms. The scaffolding used by workers in this incident was owned by the employer. Workers received on-the-job and monthly tailgate training sessions in Spanish. Individual proficiency was determined by observations of a lead man on the job. The firm had a functioning safety committee, and a general safety policy, but no designated "competent person" to evaluate fall hazards at construction sites and supervise the erection and use of scaffolding. The drywall installer in this incident emigrated to the USA from Mexico about 10 years earlier and spoke primarily Spanish. He was hired 2 days following the last tailgate safety meeting, so received no general safety training, nor training on erecting scaffolding. He had been on the job 2 weeks when the incident occurred. On the day of the incident, the installer was receiving job training in delivering materials from a lead worker who had over 6 years of experience in the drywall trade. Back to TopInvestigationOn the morning of the incident, the two-man crew, consisting of the novice drywall installer and a lead worker, were scheduled to deliver two sets of mobile mason's scaffolding and materials to a residential site where the owner was converting a barn into a shop, then drive to another town to do a small installation of furnace board. A subcontracted crew was already at the residential site that morning to install sheetrock. The two crews worked together to erect the scaffolds. Each mobile scaffold consisted of two 6-foot tubular frames with wheels, horizontal struts and cross braces, and a single prefabricated platform that hooked over the frame. The platform was about 7 feet 4 inches above the ground.
The crew that delivered the scaffolds then stayed to help install two sheets of sheetrock at floor level. Each piece of sheetrock was 4x12 feet and weighed 105 pounds. The crew positioned the scaffold 1 foot from the wall for the installation. The lead worker locked the wheels on his end of the scaffold, and the two workers climbed onto the scaffold and began to hang the sheetrock on the wall of the shop. The installer was holding the sheetrock against the wall when the scaffold moved backward, causing him to lose his balance and fall forward between the scaffold and the wall. He hit his head on the concrete floor. The general contractor at the site was notified, and called 911 and the employer. The victim was transported to a hospital, where he died 2 days later. The scaffold was moved from its original location, probably in order to reach the victim, and it was unclear later if the event was primarily caused by movement of the wheels, or by the victim losing his balance. Back to TopCause of DeathBlunt force head injuries Recommendations/DiscussionRecommendation #1: Workers on mobile scaffolding should double-check the structural stability of the scaffold and ensure that wheels are locked before mounting to the work platform.This incident emphasizes the need for extra caution before working at a height. After setting up a mobile scaffold, workers should double-check that the structure is on a hard level surface, properly braced and secured so it does not sway, set closely to the wall where work is to be performed, and wheels locked. Employers should encourage workers to actively participate and communicate to supervise their own safety and the safety of coworkers.
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Example of a mobile scaffold with guardrail and mounting ladder (Source: OR-OSHA, 2005, Scaffolds: Temporary elevated work platforms). |
The Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology at Oregon Health & Science University performs Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) investigations through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Division of Safety Research (DSR). The goal of these evaluations is to prevent fatal work injuries in the future by studying the working environment, the worker, the task the worker was performing, the tools the worker was using, the energy exchange resulting in fatal injury, and the role of management in controlling how these factors interact.
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