Case Reports:

• A general contractor requested help from a carpentry crew to erect a 50-foot steel beam and columns. Neither the contractor nor any of the carpentry crew were trained in steel erection. The steel beam was raised into position using two forklifts, and guy wires were set at one end, but the column footing bolts were not secured, and only one guy wire was attached at the other end. When the forklift sling was released, the column leaned over and the weight and force of the beam pulled the turnbuckle apart. The beam then fell onto the lift, knocking one employee to the concrete floor. He landed on his back and head, sustaining severe head injuries, and was transported by helicopter to a local hospital for treatment.
• Two carpenters, who were not adequately trained to do steel erection work, were attempting to set a 30-foot I-beam on a concrete block wall 15 feet high. They released the spanner connection from the hoist line before the I-beam was secured to the bearing plates. The beam tipped and fell, along with the two employees, to the concrete floor. One employee required surgery for multiple broken bones in his wrists and arms. The other employee was hospitalized for back, neck and head injuries.

Case Report:

• At the start of the shift on a cold, January day, an employee slid an impact wrench down a 1:12 pitch roof to position it near the edge. There was light frost on the roof, and the wrench was not slowing down. Fearing that it would go over the edge, the employee began running after the wrench. The foreman shouted, "No, Pat, no," but the employee continued, even diving after the wrench. He slid off the roof edge on his stomach and impacted approximately 23 feet down and 20 feet out from the building on the asphalt driveway. The steel erection standard in place at that time did not require fall protection on non-tiered buildings for fall hazards of less than 25 feet. Failure to recognize the fall hazard contributed to the accident.