Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology (FACE) Report: One Dead, One Injured in Elevator Fall at Construction Site in Missouri

摘要

A fatal accident circumstances and epidemiology report on an accident involving an elevator fall at a construction site is presented. Two workers were attempting to hook up the permanent hoisting system to an elevator when the accident occurred. The elevator car had been assembled in the shaft and was raised to the 6th floor by a temporary hoisting system. The safety devices were set and the temporary cables removed. For some reason, the safety holding devices released, and the two workmen on top of the car fell six floors in the shaft. One worker was killed, and the other was injured. No conclusive cause for the accident could be determined. The governor may have been accidentally tripped, improperly adjusted, or not functional. Recommendations include testing the operating parameters of the governor and not using the elevator safety system as the primary holding device.