Fall Through Roof Decking - Expert Investigation Expert Article

In this case, a roofer was injured when he fell through a panel of gypsum roof decking at a commercial facility. Robson Forensic was retained to determine if the actions of facility owner created dangerous conditions which were a cause of Johnson’s fall. We were also tasked with determining if the roofer’s actions were unreasonable in a manner that contributed to his own fall.

Roofer Injured: Fell Through Roof Decking, 20-30 Feet, to the Floor Below

Redacted report available in the “Details” section of this page

A roofer was injured when he fell through a panel of gypsum roof decking at a commercial facility. The scope of the roofers’ project included removal of the existing roofing membrane and installation of a new membrane. On the day of the incident, the plaintiff was carrying two full pails of “glue” across a section of roof that had recently been covered with new insulation; he broke through the insulation and decking and fell 20-30 feet to the floor below.

Our expert showed that the decking collapse occurred because the deteriorated decking, stripped of the existing membrane, was unable to support the reasonable, expected loads. The owner of the building and the director of operations, acting as the design professional and construction administrator on this project, knew or should have known, that areas of gypsum decking were deteriorated and unable to support anticipated loadings. The building owner’s failure to survey the existing roof deck prior to construction and map out areas of known deterioration, as well as have a qualified person inspect the deck during roof stripping operations, exposed the plaintiff and his fellow workers to inadequate structural decking and was a cause of his injury. Our expert substantiated his opinion through use of applicable building codes and roofing standards.

The case settled favorably following the deposition of our expert.

Redacted report available in the “Details” section of this page

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