Date of incident: May 2015
Notice of incident number: 2015157410094
Employer: Gas station

Incident summary
A worker was standing on an aluminum stepladder using a manually operated sprayer to apply a cleaning agent to an exterior building awning. The ladder became unstable, and the worker fell onto the pavement and was injured.

Investigation conclusions

Cause

• Worker fell from unstable ladder. The worker fell from the stepladder due to the instability of the ladder. The ladder was placed on an uneven surface, which increased the likelihood that it would become unstable, especially as the worker climbed higher.

Contributing factors

• Inappropriate choice of equipment. A ladder was chosen to elevate the worker instead of using an elevating work platform or a telescoping pole so that the worker could work from the ground.
• Three-point contact not maintained. The two-handed work procedure (holding the spray tank in one hand and the nozzle wand in the other) did not allow the worker to maintain three-point contact, further demonstrating that inappropriate equipment had been chosen.

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