Herron Construction, Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Apr 21, 2008: Employee fractures forearm in fall from ladder

At approximately 9:00 a.m. on April 21, 2008, Employee #1, a carpenter, was desc ending upon an extension ladder through a roof opening, when he fell 7 ft to the concrete floor. Emergency medical personnel were summoned. They arrived and tra nsported Employee #1 to the Inland Valley Medical Center, where he was admitted. He underwent surgery on his left wrist and forearm, and was hospitalized for tw o days.

Incident on Oct 4, 2005 (fatal): Employee is killed when preassembled roof panels fall

On October 04, 2005, Employee #1 was a full-time payroll employee, with no other contracts, working as a carpenter for a general building contractor, who had Em ployee #1 and three coworkers preassembling and installing panelized roofing ass emblies onto a tilt-up building under construction. Prior to the installation of the panels, wood bracing was installed on the north building wall to act as a p osition stop for the first panel. The first panel was erected into position, fol lowed by the second panel. The first panel, though, was not welded or bolted to its attachment points to prevent shifting before the second panel was erected an d nailed to the first panel. In addition, the second panel was not connected by welding or bolting to its attachment points. The third panel was erected into po sition and pressed against the second panel, when, without warning, but with a l oud noise, the first and second panels collapsed and fell. At that point, the fi rst coworker turned and saw Employee #1 standing mesmerized on the center beam. Employee #1 then lost his balance and fell, head-first, behind the panels to the concrete floor below. Prior to the collapse, this coworker had seen Employee #1 climb to the roof without any fall protection. Less than two minutes later, the panels fell. Two other coworkers observed Employee #1 walking on the east end o f the roof panels near the building center beam for approximately two minutes, w hen they heard a loud noise and saw the panels fall, followed by Employee #1. Em ployee #1 fell approximately 30 feet. He was killed.

Incident on Jul 18, 2005: Employee amputates a finger in a saw blade

At approximately 12:15 p.m. on July 18, 2005, Employee #1 was ripping a 2-in. by 4-in. by 10.25-in. block of wood. The wood jumped forward and the blade made co ntact with his left hand, which was holding the block. He was hospitalized with a left ring finger amputation and complex hand lacerations.

Incident on Oct 22, 2004: Employee falls from elevation

On October 22, 2004, two carpenters, employed by Herron Construction, Inc., were framing a building within a shopping mall that was undergoing renovations. Empl oyee #1 was working with Employee #2 on top of the roof at a height of 22 feet, installing roof drains. Employee #1 asked Employee #2 to hook up his lifeline as sembly to his harness. Employee #1 was using a universal Fit Harness (Guardian) Manufactured April 2004, model 01100, serial number 20988, and a Vertical Lifeli ne Assembly with positioning device, shock absorber, and connecting lanyard (Gua rdian, manufactured April 2004, model VLA, 50 feet length, serial number 01611). Employee #1 was working around a 46-inch by 86-inch hole in the northwest corne r of building 11. The anchor point was approximately 10 feet from Employee #1. E mployee #2 was waiting for Employee #1 to nail the joist on, and then Employee # 2 was going to put the hangers on the joists. Employee #1 lost his footing and f ell approximately 15 feet. Employee #2 was not close enough to prevent Employee #1 from falling. Employee #1 hit a scissor lift (Manufactured by Upright, MX19, equipment 27051) that was located beneath where he was working. Because the orie ntation of the lifeline assembly was opposite than designed, the rope grab did n ot stop the fall for Employee #1. Employee #1 sustained a compound fracture to h is left foreman due to the fall. He was hospitalized for the injury.

Incident on Oct 15, 2004: Employee is injured in fall from roof

On October 15, 2004, Employee #1, a carpenter, was working on the roof of a buil ding to frame an area that was being renovated at an outdoor mall. There was a l adder positioned approximately 40 to 50 feet away from where Employee #1 was wor king for access and egress. Additionally, there was a JLG scissor lift, Model Nu mber 40PTS, Serial Number 0200037791, parked and extended on the opposite side o f a parapet wall that was close to Employee #1's location. A scissor lift is a p ortable work platform that can lower and raise employees and tools to various wo rk heights. The lift had guardrails and toe-boards to protect employees from fal ling. Employee #1 needed to go to the ground level of the construction site. Ins tead of walking to the ladder, installed for access and egress, he decided to us e the scissor lift. As Employee #1 stepped on the wood beams that were attached to the parapet wall and attempted to step into the scissor lift, he lost his bal ance or footing and fell 22 feet to the ground. He landed between the building a nd the scissor lift. Employee #1 was hospitalized and treated for bruising to hi s right leg, and an open fracture to his left arm and elbow area, which required surgery.

Incident on Jul 11, 2001: Foreman and framer injured in fall from scaffold

At about 9:30 a.m. on July 11, 2001, Employee #1, a framer, and Employee #2, a f oreman, of Herron Construction Inc. were working on a construction site in Baker sfield, CA. Both employees were on a scaffold approximately 20 ft. from the grou nd. The scaffold started to pull away from the building and collapse, dropping b oth employees to the ground. Employee #1 was hospitalized with a fracture. Emplo yee #2 was treated for a laceration and released.

Incident on Feb 21, 2001: Employee injured in fall from scaffold

At approximately 11:45 a.m. on February 21, 2001, Employee #1, a carpenter, lost his balance and fell approximately 4 ft from the bracket scaffold he was erecti ng on the outside of a new retail building. The ground in the area was muddy fro m previous rain. Employee #1 fractured his ankle. Employee #1 was hospitalized.