safetybriefs.org

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OSHA offers a section on their website that provides what they call Disaster Facts.  These brief reports describe an accident with all of the stats and recommendations on how to prevent this type of accident from occurring on your job site.  I thought this one was extremely relevant…

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT
The three workers arrived at the work site around 10:00 am. The workers then accessed the roof by means of a secured ladder to take up tar paper and prepare for the roofing job. They failed to install slide guards or use any other form of fall protection. The victim went onto the roof (6/12 pitch, and 17’ 7” from ground to eave) pulling his air hose and laying it out on the roof for his nail gun. During this process the victim lost his balance and fell onto the concrete patio below. The victim was transported via life flight to the local hospital and then was transported via life flight to a larger regional hospital where he later died from injuries sustained in the fall.

ACCIDENT PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Protect all employees who are engaged in residential style construction and working at elevation, by a guardrail system, personal fall arrest system, safety net system or slide guard system.
2. Ensure employees and subcontractors are properly trained on the use and operation of the previously mentioned systems, and are aware of hazardous conditions on the work site
3. Make provisions prior to the commencement of the job to provide prompt medical attention in the event of an injury. Workers had no procedures and no method to contact emergency response personnel. It took 45 minutes from the time of the fall to emergency personnel arrived on the scene.
4. When no infirmary, clinic, hospital or physician is reasonably accessible in terms of time and distance, the employer shall ensure that an employee is trained in First-Aid and CPR to administer emergency attention in the event of an accident.

Technorati Tags: construction accident, fall protection, ladder safety

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