Workers slide off icy roof at Cowboy Stadium- Are your workers prepared for icy conditions?

Two workers had to be rescued Thursday morning at the Cowboys Stadium. The two workers slid 50-75 feet before stopping at the gutter at the edge of the icy roof. Considering that the stadium is the largest domed stadium in the world, it rises some 300 feet off the ground, the accident could have been a lot worse. To make matters worse, the workers were not wearing fall protection gear. Arlington Assistant Fire Chief Don Crowson said that typical fall protection gear, used properly, would not have allowed the men to slide more than about six feet. If the workers would have gained more momentum, the outcome could have been tragic.

We can't emphasize how important fall protection is at all times. Especially in the winter, rooftops can become very icy and slippery. This can increase accidents and decrease the worker's agility on rooftops. Weather, in particularly winter weather, can alter working conditions, making it more dangerous than usual. Rooftops are generally colder and windier than ground level conditions. Workers don't tend to react as quickly as they do in room temperature. Regardless of a person’s experience and motivation, any manual work becomes extremely difficult below -40° F and construction equipment also is rarely operated (ENR.com). The effect of snowfall and wind velocity can greatly impact anyone that's working in cold weather. Manual tasks take 2.2 times longer than usual and equipment operations 1.3 times longer when the temperature is 20° F, the wind is 20 mph, and there is moderate snowfall.

Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said that training and safety gear is required for workers throughout the stadium based on the type of work they were doing. If this is true, it is possible that the workers were wearing fall protection equipment but they failed to attach themselves to the appropriate lifeline. Workers must also bear some of the responsibility for their safety on the job. "Always be aware of your conditions, especially weather conditions when you're outside, and always use your safety gear," said Crowson.

On the positive side, the rescue team was well prepared. Crowson said the technical rescue team has been visiting the stadium since construction started and has often trained there. "Just about every aspect of rescue in the stadium we have covered," Crowson said. "It's very important to know all the features of the building. If there is a rescue that needs to occur, we want to do it safely." The rescue took about 30 minutes.

"Since work began on the $1.1 billion stadium project in April 2006, 175 incidents have been reported through May 2008 (Star-Telegram.com)" Those incidents included minor scratches, broken bones, and eye irritation.

Souces:

Carlton, Jeff. "2 workers hurt during fall on Cowboys Stadium roof." Azstarnet.com. The Associated Press, 03 Dec. 2009. Web.
Schrock, Susan, and Domingo Ramirez. "2 workers injured in falls from Cowboys Stadium roof." Star-Telegram. 03 Dec. 2009. Web.