Incident Investigation from 350 Miles.

As a witnesses in court cases, and as safety consultants, we are often required to analyze incidents from a distance. Monday (20 June 2011) morning, a Suspended Scaffold fell onto a Self-Supported Scaffold in Abilene, Texas. This analysis is based on written and televised accounts.

According to the accounts, a Suspended Scaffold (also called Swing Stage) fell onto a Self-Supported Scaffold, trapping two workers, causing minor injuries to both.  One televised account is here: http://www.ktxs.com/news/28302198/detail.html.

Note that the “eyewitness” interview in the report has his hard hat on backwards. That is a violation because the helmet was not designed to worn like that, so it prevents the suspension system from properly protecting the worker. Worse than putting the worker in danger is that it can be an indicator of the safety culture (or lack thereof) of the contractor.

Most important is what we see involving the Suspended Scaffold.  It is a near impossibility for a Suspended Scaffold to fall if the anchor system and installation are done according to OSHA and industry regulations. A Suspended Scaffold has a lifting hoist connected by cables to beams on the roof. The beams are counter-weighted and should have a safety line anchored to the building.  The entire system has at minimum a four times (4X) safety factor. For a Suspended Scaffold to fail, several redundant, over-designed systems must all fail.

The workers are, by law, required to have a Personal Fall Arrest System consisting of a harness and a lanyard, connected to a lifeline which is anchored separately from the scaffold rigging. If the worker in this incident had been properly tied off, he would not have fallen with the scaffold.

It does not take a trained safety professional to see that these workers were extremely fortunate.  They were very likely not properly trained, they were certainly not properly rigged.  Their employer simply put profits, speed and expediency ahead of any concern for their lives.

Don’t be that company. Follow the rules designed to keep workers safe and allow them to return home after their work shift.

See our Web site: SafetyRich