Cox Communications, Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Oct 11, 2002: Employee injured by fall from ladder while servicing cable

On October 11, 2002, Employee #1, a Field Service Representative of Cox Communic ations, fell off a ladder while servicing an overhead cable line. Cox Communicat ions is a communications service, repair and provider. Employee #1 was a non-con tract employee of Cox Communications. Employee #1 was working alone on a 28-foot Werner fiberglass extension ladder, Model 7128 Electro Master, hooked to a mids pan wire. The midspan was measured to be 18-feet 5-inches above the dirt ground. Employee #1's job was to replace a damaged drop line that runs to and services cable in San Diego, California. This is a residential home and Employee #1 was w orking on the overhead line across the street from this residential home. There was tension from the drop line attached to the span. Employee #1 removed his pos itioning belt lanyard and then cut the span wire. Employee #1 disconnected his b elt lanyard, a Bashlin Industries Number 1511N with an 81 inch leather lanyard, from the ladder and span because he anticipated descending the ladder immediatel y after cutting the drop line. Employee #1 was on the ladder when the tension of the drop line released. This release of tension created a slingshot type action with Employee #1 standing on and holding onto ladder. The ladder did not come u nhooked from the span, but the slingshot action caused Employee #1 to lose his g rip and become propelled backwards. Employee #1 fell 18-feet 5-inches to the gro und. Due to the fall, Employee #1 received a laceration on his head, a collapsed lung, fractured 3 ribs and his right hand, and lost consciousness twice. Employ ee #1 was hospitalized.

Incident on Jan 3, 2001 (fatal): Employee killed in fall from ladder

At approximately 10:15 a.m. on January 3, 2001, Employee #1, a cable inspector, was checking for illegal use of cable television services in a neighborhood loca ted on a high, steep, hill. According to the employer, he placed his 28-foot ext ension ladder on a downward sloping ground and hooked it at the outer side of th e television detection box. The weight of his body caused the top section of the ladder to slide away along the top section of the wire. The ladder was not prop erly placed to prevent displacement. Employee #1 fell approximately 19 feet to t he asphalt road and was transported to Sharp Hospital where he was pronounced de ad on arrival.

Incident on Dec 8, 1995: Employee injured in fall from ladder

At approximately 12:00 noon on December 8, 1995, Employee #1, a cable TV inspect or, was in an alley climbing a 28 ft ladder to disconnect the television cable s ervice to a house. After ascending his ladder, he noticed that the hooks at the top of the ladder were not set or secured over the cable; the ladder was resting on the telephone line below the cable. He panicked and slid down the ladder fas t. At about 12 ft from the concrete ground, he fell and landed feet first. He su stained a broken right leg and fractured heels. He was transported to Mercy Hosp ital for treatment, including surgery. According to the employer, Employee #1 wa s properly trained and had done the same job a hundred times; however, he failed to follow the proper procedures for erecting the ladder. He was reprimanded and retrained. No safety violations were observed during the inspections and no acc ident-related safety violation was cited. The employer had provided cable televi sion services to San Diego for the past 33 years.