OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14308258

JOIST,STEEL,BUILDING,COLLAPSE,STEEL ERECTION,FALL

1989-09-21T09:40:00

Event: JOIST,STEEL,BUILDING,COLLAPSE,STEEL ERECTION,FALL
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14308258
Report ID: 214200

Event description

FALL - COLLAPSED LONGSPAN BAR JOISTS

Investigation abstract

TWO EMPLOYEES WORKING AS CONNECTORS FELL 22' WITH FOUR BAR JOISTS AND BUNDLES OF ED. THEY CONNECTED TWO CHOKER SLINGS AND THE CRANE MOVED THE BUNDLE FROM ABOUT 1 ' AWAY FROM THE SUPPORT BEAM OUT ON THE 450 LB. JOIST TO ABOUT 8'. DISCONNECTED THE SLINGS, AND WITH THE HOOK ON THE WAY UP, FOUR BAR JOISTS, THE BUNDLES OFBRID GING AND SHEETING WITH THE EMPLOYEES ON TOP FELL TO THE EARTH #1 EMPLOYEE LANDED ON THE JOIST, RUPTURED HIS HEART AND DIED, #2 EMPLOYEE FRACTURED HIS L/ANKLE. T HE HEAVY EXTERNAL MATERIAL LOADS HAD BEEN PLACED ON TOP OF THE LONGSPAN JOISTS B EFORE THE JOISTS HAD BEEN TACK WELDED FOR SECURITY NOR HAD ANY BRIDGING BEEN INS TALLED FOR STABILITY, AS REQUIRED. BRIDGING AND SHEETING FROM ATOP A ONE STORY SKELETON STEEL 40,000 SQUARE FT STR UCTURE. THEY WERE PLACING AND SETTING 41'3'' INTER- MEDIATE LONG SPAN OPEN WEB S TEEL BAR JOISTS ON THE ROOF BEAMS AT 22' LEVELS, USING A P&H 50 TON CAPACITY TRU CK CRANE (RENTAL MODEL "650ATC WITH A 120' LATTICE BOOM AND 40' JIB AND STANDING ON AN APPROX 22'6" L X36" W, 30 PIECE STACK OF METAL ROOF SHEETING WEIGHING APP ROX 3,120 LBS ON TOP OF THE JOISTS. FOLLOWING THE JOIST FOREMAN'S DIRECTIONS TO REPOSITION TWO BUNDLES OF BRIDGING THAT WERE 1&1/2 X 1&1/2 X 90 DEG. ANGLE & APP ROX 21'4" LONG CONTAINING 288 PIECES, WEIGHING APPROX 3,024 LBS. ALSO PRIOR LAND

Victims (3)

#1 Fatality Age 32 M

Nature of injury
18

Part of body
5

Event type
5

Source
8

Occupation code
999

Human factor
11

Environmental factor
6

Task assigned
1
#2 Hospitalized Age 24 M

Nature of injury
12

Part of body
11

Event type
5

Source
8

Occupation code
999

Human factor
11

Environmental factor
6

Task assigned
1
#981 Degree 0 Age 0

Nature of injury
0

Part of body
0

Event type
0

Source
0

Occupation code
0

Human factor
0

Environmental factor
0

Task assigned
0

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