Swiss Security Investigation Board: Final Report On Employee Lift Fall In Pontresina

Final report of the Swiss Safety Investigation Board SUST on the fall of an employee from a cable car pillar on June 2, 2021 in Pontresina (GR) has been issued

Brief description

On June 2, 2021 at 1.30 p.m., an employee was pushed off a cable car support by the drive of the downhill cable car cabin while preparing for cleaning work on the cable saddles. He fell about 50 m into a snow cover about 2 m high and survived seriously injured. 

root cause 

The fall of an employee from a cable car pillar on June 2, 2021 in Pontresina is due to an unintentional movement of the employee as a result of a knee problem, as a result of which he came too close to the drive of a cable car cabin and was pushed off the work platform. 

Contributing to the accident: 

• Carrying out preparatory work during ongoing operations. 
• The lack of a comprehensive process and specifications to secure the workplace when the cable car cabin is approached. 

During the investigation, the following risk could be identified: 

• Because the work area was supposedly secured by railings, the wearing and use of personal protective equipment against falls was dispensed with.