Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology (FACE) Report: Caulking Mechanic Dies in Fall When Scaffold Fails, March 15, 1989

摘要

A 33 year old male caulking mechanic died when the scaffold on which he was working failed, causing him to fall 60 feet to the ground. The employer was a caulking contractor with 13 workers, including seven caulking mechanics. The company has been in existence for 52 years and has no formal safety program. The victim had been employed by the company for 16 years, the last 12 as a caulking mechanic. On the morning of the accident, the victim and one coworker went to the site of a newly constructed seven story building to continue a caulking job they had started several days earlier. When they arrived a window washing contractor was on site and had already rigged a powered 2 point suspended scaffold on the building. The victim and a window washer decided to share the suspended scaffold while two remaining coworkers shared the personnel lift. Although the victim had safety belts and lifelines at the site, neither group of workers used this personal protective equipment. While lowering the scaffold, the end where the victim stood suddenly dropped to a vertical position. The victim fell 60 feet to the packed earth. The window washer clung to the other end for 25 minutes and was rescued.