OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14196273

BURN,MEAT STUFFING MACH,E GI IV,ELECTRICAL,CONDUIT,ELECTRICIAN,ELECTRICAL WORK,LOCKOUT,DISCONNECTING MEANS,FACE

1984-12-01T00:00:00

Event: BURN,MEAT STUFFING MACH,E GI IV,ELECTRICAL,CONDUIT,ELECTRICIAN,ELECTRICAL WORK,LOCKOUT,DISCONNECTING MEANS,FACE
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14196273
Report ID: 352420

Event description

ELECTRICAL BURNS - ARCING FROM ENERGIZED CONDUCTORS

Investigation abstract

ON THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER 30, 1984, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED INSIDE THE FRANK-A-MA OF THE CONDUIT. THE HELPER WAS STANDING ON A PLATFORM WHICH WAS OVER THE ELECTR ICIAN. THE HELPER WAS HAVING A HARD TIME PULLING THE DEENERGIZED CONDUCTORS THRO UGH THE CONDUIT. THE ELECTRICIAN SAID HE COULD SEE THE ENERGIZED CONDUCTORS "JIG GLING", BUT BEFORE HE COULD TELL HIS HELPER TO STOP PULLING, A FLASH CAME FROM T HE DISCONNECT BOX AND BURNED HIS FACE AND EYES. THE ELECTRICIAN SAID HE DID NOT SEE A NEED TO SHUT THE POWER OFF TO THE DISCONNECT. HOWEVER, MANAGEMENT AND OTHE R EMPLOYEES INTERVIEWED STATED THAT THEY HAD ALWAYS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN THE POWER OFF TO THE MACHINE AND THE DISCONNECT BOX BEFORE BEGINNING TO WORK ON THEM . UPON INVESTIGATION BY THE THE COMPANY, IT WAS LEARNED THAT AN EXTRA SET OF ENE RGIZED CONDUCTORS HAD BEEN "BUGGED" OFF INSIDE THE CONDUIT AND THAT NO ONE KNEW TIC VEEMAG, WHICH IS A MEAT STUFFER. THE NEXT MORNING, THE MAINTENANCE ELECTRICI ABOUT THEM. THIS CONDITION POSSIBLY CAUSED THE DEENERGIZED CONDUCTORS THAT WERE BEING PULLED TO GET CAUGHT; DURING THE PULLING ACTIVITY, ONE OF THE ENERGIZED CO NDUCTORS BECAME GROUNDED AND CAUSED THE FLASH TO OCCUR. AN WAS ASSIGNED TO OVERHAUL THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE MACHINE AND THE DISCON NECT WHICH CONTROLS THE MACHINE. THE DISCONNECT HAD BEEN TURNED OFF, BUT THE POW ER TO THE DISCONNECT WAS STILL ON. AFTER OVERHAULING THE MACHINE, THE ELECTRICIA N STARTED TO TEST THE WIRING LEADING TO THE DISCONNECT BOX. HE ASKED FOR SOME AS SISTANCE AND WAS ASSIGNED A HELPER, A CLASS-D MAINTENANCE MAN. THE ELECTRICIAN D ETERMINED WHICH CONDUCTORS INSIDE THE CONDUIT WERE DEENERGIZED AND WHICH WERE GR OUNDED. THE ELECTRICIAN INSTRUCTED THE HELPER TO PULL THE DEENERGIZED WIRING OUT

Victim

#1 Hospitalized Age 30 M

Nature of injury
10

Part of body
9

Event type
13

Source
15

Occupation code
575

Human factor
13

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1

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