PILOT DESCRIBES THE EVENTS AND LACK OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FALLING INTO THE LOWER E/E COMPARTMENT OF THE B767-300 AFTER STEPPING OUT OF THE FORWARD LAV.

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AFTER ARR AT GATE AT ZZZ; MAINT WAS CALLED TO CORRECT AN EICAS MESSAGE REGARDING THE #2 PRESSURIZATION CONTROLLER. AFTER I CONSULTED WITH THE AMT; HE STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO DOWN TO THE E&E COMPARTMENT TO RESET THE CONTROLLER. I ASSUMED THAT HE WOULD ENTER VIA THE NORMAL RTE THROUGH THE HATCH ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. I THEN ENTERED THE FORWARD LAVATORY; WHICH IS BTWN THE COCKPIT DOOR AND THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR. UPON EXITING THE LAVATORY; LOOKING AFT TO SEE WHETHER THE CABIN WAS BEING CLEANED PREPARATORY TO BOARDING; I FELL THROUGH THE OPEN UPPER HATCH INTO THE E&E COMPARTMENT. THIS HATCH IS RARELY USED. I HAVE ONLY SEEN IT USED ONE OTHER TIME IN 5300 HRS ON THE AIRPLANE. IT IS DIRECTLY OUTSIDE THE FORWARD LAVATORY; AT THE MOST HEAVILY TRAVELED PLACE IN THE ENTIRE CABIN OF THE AIRPLANE; AND IS NOT NOTED OR DESCRIBED ANYWHERE IN THE OPERATING MANUAL. BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION OF THE LAVATORY DOOR SWING; THE OPEN HATCH WAS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL I WAS IN IT. I FELL ABOUT 5 FT TO THE DECK OF THE E&E COMPARTMENT; FORTUNATELY LANDED ON MY FEET; BUT SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO MY L SHIN AND A LARGE ABRASION ON THE L SIDE OF MY BACK. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE X MEDICAL CENTER WHERE I WAS TREATED (2 STITCHES TO MY SHIN) AND RELEASED. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE; WITH POTENTIALLY FATAL RESULTS IF I HAD STRUCK SOME VITAL PART OF MY BODY ON THE WAY DOWN. MUCH STRICTER SAFEGUARDS ARE NEEDED IF THE UPPER E&E HATCH IS TO BE USED AT ALL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ACCESS PANEL TO THE LOWER E/E COMPARTMENT MENTIONED IN THEIR B767-300 ACFT OPERATIONS MANUAL. HE ALSO FOUND OUT; UPON RETURNING TO WORK; THAT MAINT DOES HAVE A PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW WHENEVER THAT FLOOR PANEL IS TO BE REMOVED AND LEFT OPEN. TWO MECHANICS ARE REQUIRED; ONE PERFORMING WORK IN THE LOWER E/E COMPARTMENT AND THE OTHER TO SECURE THE AREA AND PREVENT ANYONE FROM FALLING THROUGH THE OPEN FLOOR PANEL. THAT PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED.