Worker struck by falling windows in intermodal container
Date of incident: July 2016
Notice of incident number: 2016117640011
Employer: General contracting company
Incident summary
At a residential construction site, a worker and the homeowner were in a steel intermodal container that held a load of windows secured in place by vinyl strapping and plywood braces. The homeowner was helping the worker remove a brace that was holding seven large windows vertically in place against the wall of the container. The seven windows weighed a total of 826.4 kg (1,822 lb.). The homeowner held the brace while the worker held one hand up against the first window and, with the other hand and using a cordless drill, removed the screws holding the brace to the first window frame. As the worker was removing the screws, the brace released into the homeowner’s hand and the group of windows fell forward. The falling windows struck the worker and the homeowner before coming to rest against the opposite side of the container. The worker sustained serious injuries.
Investigation conclusions
Cause
- Movement inside non-level container. The floor of the container was approximately 6 cm (2½ in.) lower on the side that the windows fell toward. A WorkSafeBC engineer determined that gravity alone would not have been enough to cause the windows to tip over. The movement of the worker and the homeowner inside the non-level container may have caused the windows to fall.
Contributing factors
- Inadequate supervision. The worker’s supervisor did not ensure that the workers under his direct supervision were made aware of all known or foreseeable health or safety hazards in the area where they were working. The supervisor did not conduct a hazard assessment prior to removing the braces. He did not plan how to safely remove the braces or evaluate how many workers would be required to hold the windows while the braces were being removed. The supervisor allowed the homeowner to enter the container and was not aware the homeowner was helping the worker remove the brace holding the windows in place. No effective work plan was developed to identify potential hazards and allow for the safe removal of windows from the container.