Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Massachusetts: Carpenter Fell from the Roof of a Single Family Home Under Construction.

摘要

On November 29, 2010 a 45-year-old male carpenter (victim) was fatally injured when he fell from the roof of a two-story single family home that was under construction. The victim was erecting pipe staging (tubular scaffolding) at the time of the incident. Needing an additional plank for the scaffolding, the victim climbed onto the house's roof to access a plank on a roof bracket located at the roof's edge. When the victim reached the roof bracket, it collapsed causing the victim and the wood plank to fall approximately 19 feet to the ground below. Both the company owner and the co-worker heard the noise of the victim and the plank falling to the ground and went to the victim. The company owner placed a call for emergency medical services (EMS). Personnel from the local fire department, EMS, and police department arrived within minutes of the call. The victim was transported to a local hospital and then was transported to a larger hospital where he was pronounced dead five days later. The Massachusetts FACE Program concluded that to prevent similar occurrences in the future, employers should: 1. Provide fall protection for all employees exposed to fall hazards of six feet or more; 2. Eliminate the use of adjustable roof brackets that are not equipped with locking mechanisms; and 3. Develop, implement, and enforce a comprehensive safety and health program that addresses fall prevention, hazard recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions.