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A Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Contractor Dies When He Falls Through a Skylight
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2017/04/07
[PDF-932.89 KB]
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Description:A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor was working alone inspecting an air conditioning (AC) unit on a flat roof of a converted warehouse when he fell through an unguarded skylight to the concrete floor below. He died 19 days later from his injuries. The skylight did not have any protective screen or guarding mechanism at the time of the incident. The contractor was an owner operator and did not have any written policies, procedures, or safety documents. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future incidents, HVAC contractors working in close proximity to skylights should: 1) Perform a daily jobsite hazard analysis to be aware that skylights pose a risk even if adjacent work is of short duration. 2) Ensure that building owners install skylight safety nets, screens, covers, or guardrails around skylights within six feet of HVAC equipment. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: Occupational injuries and fatalities are often the result of one or more contributing factors or key events in a larger sequence of events that ultimately result in an injury or fatality. The CA/FACE team identified the following items as contributing factors in this incident that ultimately led to the fatality: 1) A daily job hazard analysis of the work place was not performed. 2) Working in close proximity to an unprotected skylight. 3) The skylight was not designed to support the weight of a worker. RECOMMENDATIONS: In order to prevent future incidents, HVAC contractors working on flat roofs with skylights should: a) Recommendation #1: Perform a daily jobsite hazard analysis to be aware that skylights pose a risk even if adjacent work is of short duration. b) Recommendation #2: Ensure that building owners install safety nets, screens, covers, or guardrails around skylights within six feet of HVAC equipment.
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Pages in Document:1-7
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NIOSHTIC Number:20050053
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NTIS Accession Number:PB2017-102697
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Citation:Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 16CA005, 2017 Apr; :1-7
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Federal Fiscal Year:2017
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Performing Organization:California Department of Public Health
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Peer Reviewed:False
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Start Date:2005/07/01
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End Date:2026/06/30
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Resource Number:FACE-16CA005
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