Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Minnesota: Construction Employee Dies After Falling From Building Roof

摘要

A 26-year-old male construction worker (victim) died of injuries he sustained when he fell approximately 25 feet from the roof of a building. The victim and three coworkers were preparing to finish installing metal roof panels on an addition to an existing arena. Before they began to install additional panels, they distributed various tools along the roof. The victim carried an impact wrench and a safety harness as he walked to a location near the unfinished portion of the roof. He was not wearing the safety harness at the time. He gently slid his impact wrench down the roof toward the roof's edge. Usually, the wrench would only slide a short distance before coming to a stop on the roof. However, because of frost on the metal roof the wrench did not slow down. One of the coworkers saw the victim dive toward the wrench in an attempt to grab it. The victim slid off the edge of the roof and fell to the paved area along the side of the building. The coworkers descended from the roof of the building and placed a call to emergency personnel who arrived at the scene shortly after being notified. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries the next day.