Summary Statement
This OR-FACE Toolbox talk is about a 22-year-old drywall installer from another company who was killed when he fell from a 7-foot scaffold. The victim and a lead worker were hanging sheetrock in a barn being converted into a shop. The key prevention tips:
- Lock all four wheels on mobile scaffolds and check stability before you climb.
- Look out for younger workers by watching them work and teaching them proper safety steps for preventing falls.
- Guardrails and toe guards are required on scaffolds 10 feet or higher above the ground, but we can use them at lower heights for added fall protection.
March 2013
- Lock wheels before mounting platform
- Consider guardrails for added protection
- Teach fall protection to young workers
Toolbox Talk Guide
Novice Drywall Installer Dies in 7-Foot Fall from Scaffold
INSTRUCTIONS: Make the "Fatal Hazard" Warning Sign visible to your crew before reading the following story.
Our safety talk today is about a 22-year-old drywall installer from another company who was killed when he fell from a 7-foot scaffold. The victim and a lead worker were hanging sheetrock in a barn being converted into a shop. They were standing on the scaffold and holding a sheetrock panel against the wall when the scaffold moved backward on the victim’s side. He fell between the scaffold and the wall and hit his head on the concrete floor, and died two days later. The lead worker had locked the wheels on his side, but the younger worker had not. The victim was new on the job and had not had general safety or scaffolding training.
So here are some ways we can prevent something like this from happening where we work.
- Lock all four wheels on mobile scaffolds and check stability before you climb.
- Look out for younger workers by watching them work and teaching them proper safety steps for preventing falls.
- Guardrails and toe guards are required on scaffolds 10 feet or higher above the ground, but we can use them at lower heights for added fall protection.
ASK: “Does anyone have more ideas or comments to share?” Pause for discussion. Then see if there are ways to take action.
END WITH ACTION PLAN (ideas for what to ask or say).
- “Are there any scaffolds at our site have problems with wheel locks that we might have missed in safety inspections?”
- “Are there other fall hazards we could fix or make less dangerous?”
- “What do you do when handling sheetrock or heavy things on a scaffold like this?”
- Discuss a similar or other potential fall hazards at your current site.
- Express your commitment to training people in scaffold set up and use.
- Commit to follow-up at the next safety talk.
