Contractor Dies After Falling From Unsecured Scaffolding

ByVictoria Negron

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Updated onFebruary 27, 2018

Contractor Dies After Falling From Unsecured Scaffolding

This case involves a contractor from Oklahoma who was working on an exterior painting project for a building within a large business complex. While she was on top of the scaffolding, the scaffolding moved away from the building and she fell to the ground, dying on impact. It was alleged that a safety engineer inspected the scaffolding the hour before the contractor began working. An expert in construction site management was sought to speak to contractor safety while using scaffolding.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. Please describe your experience in managing construction sites with scaffolding.

2. What protocols are in place to ensure contractors aren't using unsafe scaffolding?

3. What preventative measures could have helped avoid this outcome?

Expert Witness Response E-078222

inline imageI have been an occupational health and safety engineer since 1997. My first position was with a scaffolding supplier in the south. I later became the regional manager for the Caribbean region of a prominent health and safety organization and helped write their policies, which are still in place to this day. Since then I have worked for numerous companies that either build or work on scaffolding.

inline imageOSHA requires all scaffolds be inspected by a "competent" person prior to each work shift. They also require any user to be trained to work from and inspect the scaffold. From the sounds of it, this wasn't done. OSHA also requires any scaffold that is built 4X taller than it is wide, to be secured to a structure. Depending on how tall or wide the scaffold in question is, that may be an issue. If the scaffold was built properly, inspected properly, and the employee was trained properly, the incident should not have happened. I have done countless inspections/audits on construction sites that had similar issues, and I had them corrected before an injury could occur.

About the author

Victoria Negron

Victoria Negron

Victoria Negron has extensive experience in journalism and thought leadership in the legal space, with a background crafting content, whitepapers, webinars, and current event articles pertaining to the role of expert witnesses in complex litigation matters. She is a skilled professional specializing in B2B product marketing and content marketing. Currently, she serves as an Enterprise Product Marketing Manager at Postman, and previously held the position of Technical Product Marketing Manager at Palantir Technologies, where she developed her skills in launch strategies, go-to-market strategy, and competitive analysis.

Her expertise in content marketing was further refined during her tenure at the Expert Institute, where she progressed from a Marketing Writer to Senior Content Marketing Manager, and eventually to Associate Director of Content & Product Marketing. In these roles, she honed her abilities in digital marketing, SEO, content strategy, and thought leadership.

Educationally, Victoria holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida - Warrington College of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Art, and Hispanic Studies from Hamilton College. Her diverse educational background and professional experience have equipped her with a robust skill set in product marketing, content development, and strategic marketing initiatives.

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