Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Vail Resorts, 1000 S Frontage Road West, VAIL, COLORADO 81657
on — Fractures, affecting the lower leg(s).
Final narrative
A ski instructor was skiing down a trail when she hit some unconsolidated snow. She fell and lost her skis; her right tibia was broken at the knee.
An employee was walking in the "runout" area between snow tubing lanes and was adjusting deceleration mats used to slow down the guests. A guest riding a snow tube struck the employee, knocking the employee to the ground. The employee sustained a concussion and a fractured clavicle.
An employee was riding a snowmobile to pull ropes to close off ski trails. The snowmobile's throttle opened during a turn, and the snowmobile struck a tree. The employee suffered a fracture at the base of the skull.
An employee was riding up a chairlift. Upon disembarking the lift, the employee's skis did not slide on the ramp due to ice buildup. This caused the employee to fall onto his left hip, resulting in a fracture.
An employee was teaching ski school. While demonstrating J-turns, the employee caught the edge of their ski on a pole basket, causing them to fall onto their pole handle. The employee suffered two rib fractures and a punctured lung that required hospitalization.
An employee was pulling on a bale of corrugated cardboard boxes that were on a conveyor. The straps on the bale failed and the employee fell to the floor. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery for a fractured femur and/or hip.
On December 27, 2023, an employee was delivering mail to an apartment complex when their knee gave out and they fell to the ground. The employee was hospitalized with a left tibia fracture.
An employee was walking to the inventory cage when her ankle gave out and she fell to the floor. The employee sustained a femur fracture and was hospitalized.
An employee was dislodging a pallet that was stuck when boxes of product fell onto them, causing them to fall to the ground. The employee suffered a fractured femur.
An employee was trimming tree limbs from a bucket truck. The employee fell from the bucket to the ground 16 feet below, suffering a concussion and a broken rib.
Two employees were in a drive terminal, pulling a new fuel line for an EPU to provide tertiary power for a ski lift. After unspooling the fuel line, one employee took a step backward and fell through the skinning (the floor of the terminal) to the ground about 12-15 feet below. The employee suffered a dislocated ankle and fractures to the lower tibia and fibula.
An employee was doing a sweep of a mountain bike trail when their mountain bike's front tire slipped. The employee fell from the bike to the ground and suffered a broken pelvis. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was kneeling, lighting the pilot for a gas range, when gas that had leaked from a quick coupler at the back of the range ignited. The employee suffered serious burns to both arms and her neck.
An employee was riding a mountain bike to check on markings and race trails when he struck a tree. He sustained six fractured ribs and a laceration to the spleen.
An employee was delivering materials. He was doing his pre-delivery inspection on the roof of the jobsite (a warehouse) when he fell through a plexiglass skylight. He landed on his feet on the concrete floor 14 feet below. The employee sustained fractures to his spine, left ulnar/radius, and right heel. The employee required surgery.
An employee was removing packaging from a roll of printing substrate. The blade of their utility knife got stuck. The employee used both hands to free the knife and the blade partially amputated their left little fingertip.
A concrete batch plant operator was assisting with clearing spoil piles using a skid steer. The skid steer backed into a stationary screen plant. The employee's left little finger was crushed between the controls of the skid steer and the screen plant, resulting in a fracture and laceration. The employee's finger was surgically amputated.
An employee was standing on an extension ladder, using a torquing tool to remove bolts that secured blades to a rotor. When the torquing tool activated, its reaction arm came around and pinched the employee's right middle finger against a lifting eye. His fingertip was amputated.