A 53-Year-Old Male Iron Foreman Dies After Fall From Steel Decking

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

During the fall of 2007, a 53-year-old male iron foreman died when he fell approximately 18 feet from roofing being installed on a retail building under new construction. Two work crews were installing metal decking for a roof by laying corrugated metal sheets to the joists of a retail building being constructed. All workers wore personal fall arrest systems complete with lanyards on the roof; none of the workers were tied off to the building. The foreman had accessed the work site via a 32-foot extension ladder to check on the progress of the work. After speaking to the first crew, the foreman walked along the steel metal decking and joists to talk to the second crew. When he was approximately 71 feet away from the ladder at his origination access point, he fell 18 feet to the concrete floor below. Emergency medical services were contacted. They transported the foreman to the local hospital where the local coroner pronounced him dead due to a brain injury.

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