FACE Report: Gutter installer falls from patio roof

Case report: #71-255-2024*
Issued by: Washington State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program
Date of report: June 10, 2024

A 34-year-old installer and a co-worker were installing gutters on a two-story residential home. They started the job about 6 a.m. The installer’s first task was to prepare the upper roof edge so he could hang the gutters. He went to the back of the house and used a ladder to get onto the roof of the patio. His co-worker was in the front of the house forming the gutters they were going to hang. While standing on the patio roof, the installer started prying between the upper roof shingles and the fascia to make a space to attach the gutter flashing. As he continued prying toward the corner of the upper roof, he reached the edge of the patio roof on which he was standing. He either did not see the patio roof edge and stepped off or was extending his reach and lost his balance. He fell 13 feet to the concrete patio. The employer, who had just arrived, and homeowner found him around 7 a.m. on the patio with his pry bar nearby. He was wearing a tool belt but not the personal fall protection equipment that was available in the work truck. Emergency responders declared him dead at the scene. After the incident, investigators found that the employer did not have a written incident prevention program or fall protection work plan, did not provide fall protection training or ensure workers used fall protection, and did not document safety meetings.

To help prevent similar occurrences, employers should:

• Arrive onsite before work begins, or appoint a supervisor, to ensure workers use fall protection and follow fall prevention safe work practices.
• Go over the fall protection work plan during the pre-job safety meeting and discuss workers’ responsibilities and the details of how they will implement the plan.
• Make fall prevention a priority and emphasize to workers to always use fall protection when required.

*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.