Three maintenance employees were assigned a non-routine
task to lower a desk (98 Kg) from the second floor of the
Chamizal Plant to ground level for transport to the Paso del
Norte Plant. Employees used an Emergency Exit without
authorization. The Emergency Exit had been modified to swing
open the guard rail to more easily remove the materials from
the second floor. Two employees moved the desk together;
one pushing from above with the other pulling from below. The
plan was to place the desk on the rest platform and have a
third person remove the desk with a forklift from below using
the unguarded opening. When the employee pulling the desk
was backing across the platform he backed off the platform
and fell 3 meters to ground level. The employees had received
risk assessment training for non-routine work in December
prior to Christmas shutdown.