RCCS INSURANCE COMPANY
ACCIDENT ALERT
December 1, 2014
This Accident Alert is being issued due to a serious accident that occurred in the Captive Insurance Program.
The primary purpose of the Accident Alert is to communicate the underlying cause(s) of the accident so that
steps can be put in place to prevent similar types of accidents from occurring.
Preliminary Accident Description:
On November 14, 2014 a laborer, who has worked for the company for several three month stints over
the past three years, drive directly to the new construction project in the morning, as it was a shorter
commute than driving all the way to the shop. Although the morning weather forecast had called for a
mix of rain and ice, the crew had been dispatched to perform a repair on the penthouse roof. A ladder
owned by the company provided access from the main roof to the penthouse roof, which is
approximately 15 feet higher.
The ladder to the penthouse roof, which had been left up at the end of each day, was secured with
three nails fastened through a piece a rope tied back to the ladder. As the laborer ascended the ladder
to the penthouse the base of the ladder slipped out, with the weight of the employee and the ladder
ripping the three nails out of the wood blocking. The laborer rode the ladder down the side of the wall
for approximately eight (8) feet before falling approximately seven (7) feet onto the new EPDM roof
membrane.
The foreman and the rest of the crew arrived on the project shortly after the fall occurred. The laborer
informed the foreman of the incident, stating he thought he had just had the wind knocked out of him
and that he would drive himself to occupational health clinic (approximately 30 minutes away). After
deciding he did not want to wait any longer at the occupational health clinic, he drove himself another
15 minutes to the local emergency room where he was diagnosed with a compression fracture.
Accident Investigation
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The accident investigation was limited as the laborer remained the only company employee on the
project at the time the ladder fall occurred (approximately 8:30 am). There are no witness
statements or pictures of the accident scene. The accident investigation does indicate the
employee, who had recently returned for the third time in a three year span, was working alone at
heights during inclement weather.
Contributing Causes:
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The new EPDM roof membrane was covered in ice
A foreman / competent person had not inspected the ladder prior to a member of the crew
ascending the ladder for the first time.
The three 16 penny nails through a section of rope did not prevent the ladder from movement at
the top or the base. This is a required best practice standard for members of the RCCS Insurance
Company.
Prevention:
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Extension ladders must be secured against movement at the top and at the base (when feasible) to
prevent the ladder from sliding out.
Even ladders that have been left up overnight should be footed at the base during the initial climb
to ensure the means of securement has not been tampered with or loosened up during periods of
non-activity.
Laborers should be prohibited from performing any tasks at heights, regardless of weather
conditions, until such time that the foreman / competent person has had the opportunity to survey
the work area for potential hazards and implement corrective actions.
HC&A would like to solicit input from members regarding current safety practices when performing operations
listed within this claims alert. Please include information regarding employee training, jobsite set-up,
inspections, and any additional possible root causes that may have lead to this incident.
By working together and sharing ideas we can help prevent accidents and continue to provide our employees with
a safe work environment. Please fax the completed claim alerts to HC&A at 860-657-8193. Comments and
recommendations regarding all Claim Alerts can be sent to the Loss Control Team at safety@hettrickcyr.com.
Company:____________________________
Date of Review: _______________________
Employee Name
Supervisor:__________________________
Signature