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Worker fatally injured in fall from bowling alley attic

Date of incident: December 2021
Notice of incident number: 2021131490044
Employer: Bowling alley

Incident summary
In a bowling alley with a steel corrugated roof, water condensed on the underside of the roof during cold weather and dripped onto fibreboard false ceiling tiles suspended from trusses in the attic. A worker had placed boards on top of the trusses, and then placed containers on top of the boards to collect the dripping water. While working in the attic to empty the water from the containers, a worker fell approximately 4.5 m (15 ft.) through the fibreboard ceiling and landed on a bowling lane. The worker died as a result of serious injuries sustained in the fall.

 

Investigation conclusions

Cause

  • Inadequate walkways. While working among 2×10 trusses in the attic above the bowling lanes, the worker was travelling along walkways (boards placed lengthwise and across the trusses) that were undersized and not guarded.
  • Lack of fall protection. The worker was not using a fall restraint system while working in an unguarded section of the attic at a height greater than 3 m (10 ft.).

Contributing factors

  • Lack of occupational health and safety program. Risk assessments and hazard identification had not been completed when the worker began performing high-risk work at heights greater than 3 m (10 ft.). The employer did not consider the worker to be an employee because the worker was only working at the bowling alley temporarily. The worker was, in fact, employed by the employer, but the employer did not implement an informal health and safety program as required.

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Publication Date: Jan 2025 Asset type: Incident Investigation Report Summary NI number: 2021131490044