Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1510531.015 - Anchor Reality Group, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Chicago South Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 11:00 a.m. on January 15, 2021, an Employee #1 and Employee #2 were performing cleanup operations in an abandoned building alongside 8 coworkers. Employee #1 and Employee #2 were in an abandoned elevator shaft pit trying to free the legs of a metal shelf that became caught on the wall of the building as it was being removed. The metal shelf was being removed with a skid-steer loader attached to a chain and hook which was being carried on a ramp. The ramp crossed over the elevator shaft pit acting as a bridge to the outside of the building leading to a dumpster. As Employee #1 and Employee #2 tried to reposition the metal shelf it began to lean towards the west side of the ramp toward the elevator shaft pit. Two large vertical unsecured platforms (which were assumed to be walls) that contained packing material and floors for future elevator cars sat inside the elevator shaft pit. None of the employees knew the large platforms were unsecured. Concerned that the metal shelf may fall into the pit, Coworker #1, Coworker #2 and Coworker #3 climbed onto the one of the platforms using a long metal bar for leverage in assisting the removing the large metal shelf. When they applied pressure on the platform, the platforms fell on both Employee #1 and Employee #2, crushing Employee #1 and killing him and injuring Employee #2. Employee #1 and Employee #2 were struck by two falling platforms, packing material and floors that fell into the pit. Employee #2 was treated and released at a local hospital.

Keywords: Attachment Hook, Bridge, Bridging, Chain, Construction vehicle, Crushed, Demolition, Dumpster, Elevated Work Platform, Elevator, Fall, Falling Object, Loader, Metal Bar, Open Shaft, Pit, Platform, Ramp, Shaft, Unsecured, Unsecured Panel, Unstable Load, Unstable Surface