J M G CONTRACTING, INC.

Employee killed in fall from water tower balcony

At approximately 7:17 a.m., Employee #1 climbed the spiral staircase of a water tower 130 ft to the balcony or catwalk. He was to climb a vertical aluminum ladd er chained in place, a height of 153 in. from the balcony to the recently instal led 24 in. manhole in the bottom of the water tank and pull a sandblasting hose up into the tank with the aid of a coworker, who was not yet present. According to the police report, the foreman said that Employee #1 was shouting but the noi se of the air compressor drowned his voice. The foreman told other workers to tu rn off the compressor so he could hear, but he next heard a scream, turned aroun d, and saw the employee lying face down on the ground. Employee #1 died. Employe e #1 was wearing a life belt but there was no safety line, safety net, or other fall protection. He was also wearing cowboy boots and the balcony or catwalk was congested. The on-site technical engineering inspector recorded the following d ata that day: temperature 38 degrees F, 90 percent humidity, wind out of the wes t at 10 to 20 mph.