FACEValue: Roofer electrocuted

Case report: #10-MA-019-01*
Issued by: Massachusetts Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation
Date of incident: Aug. 3, 2010

A 23-year-old laborer was electrocuted, and two co-workers suffered severe shocks, when a 32-foot aluminum ladder on a platform hoist came in contact with energized overhead power lines. The three workers were raising the ladder from the ground to a vertical position against a building. During this process, the workers lost their footing, and the ladder fell and came in contact with energized power lines. The victim was electrocuted and thrown to the ground, and the ladder fell on top of him. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His co-workers later recovered. The employer did not have a health and safety program and had not provided health and safety training to employees.

To prevent future occurrences:

• Employers should develop, implement and enforce a comprehensive safety program.
• Employers should ensure their workers do not use conductive tools and equipment near energized overhead power lines. Extreme caution must be used whenever working near energized power lines.
• Employers should conduct jobsite surveys before work begins to identify potential hazards and implement any necessary control measures.
• Ladder platform hoist manufacturers should design the ladder section of platform hoists to be non-conductive.

*This report is the product of NIOSH’s Cooperative State partner. The findings and conclusions in each report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of NIOSH.