On June 12, 2010, a 46-year-old contractor welder was fatally injured at a crushed stone operation. He was preparing to weld on an overhead ventilation duct. The victim was using a ladder to access the duct when he fell over a handrail approximately 45 feet to the ground.
Best Practices
- Always use fall protection when working where a fall hazard exists.
- Position ladders to ensure their stability and to eliminate trip hazards.
- Always face the ladder when climbing or working from a ladder.
- Do not lean to reach items while standing on a ladder.
- Always maintain three points of contact with the ladder when climbing.
Click here for: MSHA Preliminary Report (pdf), MSHA Investigation Report (pdf), Overview (powerpoint), Overview(pdf), Spanish Fatalgram (pdf)