California FACE Program - Digital Stories

The California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program investigates work-related fatalities to identify the causes and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The digital stories on this page combine photographs and prevention recommendations from FACE fatality investigation reports with re-creations of the fatal event, personal narration, and family photos. Viewers visit the scene of the incident and see work hazards up close.

The stories are best used as educational triggers that can kick off a worker training session and facilitate discussion. The videos can be viewed here, on YouTube, or downloaded for future use. Each digital story has its own "action page," which provides discussion questions and/or tailgate training cards, fact sheets, a link to the corresponding FACE investigation report, and video download instructions. Click on the links (arrows) below to view the video on YouTube or to go the comprehensive "action page" for additional training materials and to download the story.​

Understanding Hazards, Risks, and Controls for Safer Fluid Transfers in Oil and Gas Extraction​

This video highlights safe work practices for fluid transfers from tanks to tanker trucks. Recommendations for employers and workers are consistent with the hierarchy of controls, with a focus on engineering controls, administrative controls, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).​

Oil & Gas Action Page

Protecting Oil & Gas Workers from Hydrocarbon Gases & Vapors

This video describes the hazards associated with manual gauging and fluid sampling on oil and gas production tanks and describes steps that employers and workers can take to do this work safely.

Oil & Gas Action Page

Toxic Paint Removers: Safer Alternatives

​​This video explains how Jason, a painter, almost died when he used a paint remover containing methylene chloride... and what can be done to prevent this from happening again.

Safer Alternatives Action Page

Preventing Worker Drownings

​This video explains how José, a 45-year-old lake maintenance worker, drowned after falling from a boat while clearing weeds from a golf course lake... and what can be done to prevent this from happening again.

Drowning Prevention Action Page

Preventing Falls Through Skylights

This video explains how Joe, a 45-year-old roofing supervisor, was killed when he fell through a skylight...and what can be done to prevent this from happening again.

​Skylight Fatalities Action Page

Preventing Palm Tree Trimmer Fatalities

​This video explains how Roberto, a 35-year old trimmer, died of suffocation when palm fronds he was cutting fell on him... and what can be done to prevent this from happening again.

Palm Tree Fatalities Action Page

Preventing Falls in the Solar Industry

This video explains how Hans Petersen, a 30-year-old solar panel installer, was killed when he fell off an apartment building roof… and what can be done to prevent this from happening again.

Solar Industry Fatalities Action Page

Preventing Wood Chipper Fatalities

This video explains how Antonio Barajas, a 33-year-old tree trimmer, was killed when he was thrown against a wood chipper… and what can be done to prevent this from happening again.

Wood Chipper Fatalities Action Page