Plumbing, heating and Air Conditioning Fatality File

A Heating, Ventilaton and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Contractor Dies when He Falls through a Skylight

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor was working alone inspecting an air conditioning (AC) unit on a flat roof of a converted warehouse when he fell through an unguarded skylight to the concrete floor below. He died 19 days later from his injuries. The skylight did not have any protective screen or guarding mechanism at the time of the incident. The contractor was an owner operator and did not have any written policies, procedures, or safety documents. The CA/FACE investigator determined that, in order to prevent future incidents, HVAC contractors working in close proximity to skylights should:

• Perform a daily jobsite hazard analysis to be aware that skylights pose a risk even if adjacent work is of short duration.
• Ensure that building owners install skylight safety nets, screens, covers, or guardrails around skylights within six feet of HVAC equipment.

Source: https://www.elcosh.org