Two workers were trying to repair a large overhead door by tightening the tension spring at the top. Both were working about 10 feet above the ground, each with one foot on a ladder and the other on an I-beam.

One of the workers was pushing and the other pulling on the rod being used to tighten the spring. Then the rod came loose and one man lost his balance. He fell, hitting his head on a propane tank. He died of head injuries.

Injury incidents often occur when workers are doing jobs outside the ordinary routine such as repairs. Unfamiliar tasks may require different safety procedures and protective equipment. In this case, the employees were working without the fall protection equipment required for tasks 10 or more feet above the ground. When a worker is pushing or pulling on something such as the rod used in this job, he is in a vulnerable position. When the object suddenly becomes free, the worker can lose his balance and fall. From an elevated work surface, such a fall can be fatal. The reasons for ladder safety rules (including one person at a time on a ladder and not standing on the top two rungs) are to prevent falls. Investigation of this incident disclosed a safety belt had been provided but not worn, and the ladder had not been secured.