Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) for Wisconsin: Service Technician Working For An Electrnic Protection Company Dies After 20 Foot Fall From An Aluminum Ladder

摘要

A 24 year old white male service worker fell 20 feet sideways onto a concrete floor from an aluminum ladder placed against a steel I-beam. The worker was responding to a complaint regarding a faulty alarm system. Witnesses, not co-workers, held the ladder while the worker ascended the ladder to check a heat sensing monitor placed on the ceiling of a municipal storage garage. The witnesses heard the worker yell after he reached the monitor located on the ceiling (approximately 35 feet high), then saw him fall sideways striking his head and shoulder on the concrete. The work was being performed indoors under artificial lighting, all surfaces were described as dry. Emergency personnel arrived on the scene approximately 11 minutes after the incident and began CPR. The victim was transported via an ambulance to a nearby hospital where resuscitation efforts were continued until it was determined that the victim was cardiovascularly unresponsive. Death was pronounced 56 minutes following the incident. The Wisconsin FACE investigator concluded that in order to prevent similar occurrences, the employers should: (1) Conduct a job-site survey on a regular basis to identify potential hazards, implement appropriate control measures, and provide subsequent training to employees that specifically addresses identified hazards. (2) Develop, implement and enforce a written comprehensive safety program that includes but is not limited to an adequate fall protection policy and an adequate electrical safety policy. (3) Provide non conductive ladders and specific rules regarding the use of ladders. (4) Provide workers with lockout hardware, locks, chains, wedges, key locks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners, or other hardware to lock out energy sources.