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Developed by the CPWR Work Group on Mast Climbing Work Platforms
Presented to the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health December 9, 2010
Pam Susi, MSPH CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training
- CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training (formerly the Center to Protect Workers’ Rights)
- Private non-profit created by the Building and Construction Trades Dept., AFL-CIO
- Conducts research on construction safety and health & serves as NIOSH “Construction Center”
- Located in Silver Spring, MD with field staff throughout the U.S.
www.cpwr.com
- Relatively new scaffold system in the US
- Use is increasing
- OSHA Standards don’t specifically address
- Painters Union and Philadelphia Building Trades approached CPWR following the deaths of 2 workers from 2 separate incidents in one year (2003)
- Co-chairs: Stephen Martini, International Masonry Institute (IMI) & Jim Kinateder, Fred KinatederMasonry, Inc.
- Manufacturers, government, construction industry (labor & management)
- Organizations
- CPWR
- Scaffold Industry Association/ANSI A92.9
- IMI
- Sheet Metal Workers, Bricklayers, Painters, Laborers
- OSHA
- NIOSH
- Research causes of accidents
- Assess adequacy of current regulations, industry standards and other measures to prevent injury with mast scaffold use
- Make recommendations with the goal of preventing injuries and death associated with mast climbing platform use
- Presented at ACCSH September 11, 2008
- Prior presentations given by Dr. Mohammad Ayuband Kevin O’Shea
- Motion made and carried to recommend that OSHA update standards “as expeditiously as possible” to address mast scaffolds
- Intended for use by regulators and specifiers
- Provides background on mast climber use, advantages & hazards
- Offers consensus recommendations for safe use
| Incident Site |
Year |
Outcome |
Incident Details |
| Binghamton, NY |
2010 |
4 injuries
1 seriously injured |
platform fell 60 ft.; eye-witnesses say platform was overloaded |
| Columbia, MO |
2009 |
1 fatality/53 yr-old Bricklayer |
Mast climber equipment failure; two simultaneous failures of different mechanisms within seconds of each other caused platform to drop 2 stories |
| Austin, TX 2009 |
2009 |
3 deaths: 27-, 28-, & 30-yr old workers; employed by framing & stucco contractor |
2 workers fell more than 100 ft. (11-13 stories); 3rdworker fell a few stories to roof of 7-floor garage. Mast climber improperly erected; some parts and materials were sub-standard or below required grade for actual loads used |
| Ann Arbor, MI |
2008 |
1 death: 32 yr-old Journeyman Bricklayer |
40-ft. fall; worker stepped back off unguarded end; Michigan OSHA issued 3 willful citations; in 2010, state charged employer with a felony for violating MIOSHA regulations and causing the death of an employee |
| Boston, MA |
2006 |
3 deaths: foreman and laborer employed by masonry contractor; 3rdvictim was a doctor driving by job |
14-story job; mast climber collapsed during dismantling; temporary support beams and loads on mast platform subjected to excess load stress and torsion (twisting) when last anchor was removed |
| Brick, NJ |
2003 |
1 death |
40-ft. fall; plank slid out from worker; not enough bearing under plank |
| Camden, NJ |
2003 |
1 death
1 seriously injured Glaziers |
Approximately 40-ft. fall; dismantling failure at level of 1st anchor; platform unstable; unbalanced load; mast climber was not stabilized when removing anchors |
| Philadelphia, PA |
2003 |
1 death Glazier |
85-ft. fall; bad bridging/improper modification and removal of guard rail; worker had no training on mast climbers |
| Pensacola, FL |
1998 |
1 death
1 injured |
60-ft. fall; contractor failed to use mechanism to prevent platform from traveling upward; platform kept rising and fell to the ground |
| Miami, FL |
1995 |
3 deaths
2 injured |
platform overloaded and configured in a manner inconsistent with its design; contractor did not follow manufacturer’s load tables or OSHA safety factor; corrosion of components |
| Alma, MI |
1992 |
2 deaths
Bricklayers |
46-ft. fall; plywood bridging used for 4-ft. opening between platform and walls; plywood failed from weight of 2 masons and a beam |
| Virginia |
1990 |
1 death |
attempting to climb from platform into window opening (approx. 3-ft. reach); slipped off sill and fell 6 floors |
*Incomplete list based on published information and personal communication
| Contributing Factor |
Numberof incidents |
Number of fatalities |
| Fall hazards |
4 |
4 |
| Loading issues |
3 |
5 |
| Failure to use correct partsor faulty configuration |
2 |
4 |
| Instabilityof mast climber during dismantling |
2 |
4 |
| Equipment failure |
1 |
1 |
- Background on Mast Climber use, history, advantages and hazards
- Summary of fatal incidents
- Recommendations for Safe Use developed by consensus of full work group
- Detailed outline for a 4-hour user/training program (also developed through consensus)
- Resources/associations
- Training
- For anyone who works on a mast climber; operates or erects and dismantles
- Additional site and model specific training
- Engineering and administrative controls
- Greater involvement of persons qualified in structural engineering where needed
- Language on anchorage systems
- Load tables
- Use of enclosures/tarps
- Inspection and maintenance
- Access & egress and limits on vertical climbs
- Job Hazard Analysis required
- Platforms must be lowered to prevent vertical climbs > 20’
- Where equipment is designed for and job site conditions require climbs >20’, safe methods statement required and rest platform every 20’
- Fall protection required for climbs over 10’
- Defined responsibilities for manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, users and owners
- Specific qualifications and roles of parties
- Safety person
- Person qualified in structural engineering
- Operators and users
- contractor
Act on Regulatory and Consensus Standards
- OSHA standards are inadequate in addressing mast climbers and should be strengthened in accordance with the above recommendations.
- ANSI standard A92.9-1993 should be modified to include any of the above recommendations that are not currently contained in the standard. Specifically, ANSI should adopt the above recommendations that relate to:
- Training
- Access to mast climbers, including fall protection for climbs over 10 feet
- Site safety personnel and over-sight
- Engineering controls
- AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Safety & Health Committee support White Paper Recommendations
- Established Mast Scaffold Sub-Committee
- Plan to work with other groups like SIA & IPAF in development of training
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