OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14196596
ATLANTIC CAISSON CORP
CLEAR SPRING, MD·
Event description
ELECTRIC SHOCK - CONTACT WITH UNDERGRD LINE THRU JACKHAMMER
Investigation abstract
AN EMPLOYER WAS CONTRACTED TO DIG TWO CAISSONS FOR THE REPAIR OF AN UNDERGROUND HE OWNER DID NOT DISCLOSE THEIR PRESENCE TO THE CONTRACTOR. THE CONTRACTOR DID N OT HAVE A FORMAL SAFETY PROGRAM AND HAD ONLY AN INFORMAL TRAINING PROGRAM. TUNNEL COMPLEX CONTAINING A TOP SECRET COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. THE 36-INCH-DIAMET ER CAISSONS WERE TO BE DUG TO A DEPTH OF ABOUT 20 FEET. AN EMPLOYEE WAS IN ONE O F THE CAISSONS THAT WAS 18 FEET DEEP. HE WAS WORKING WITHIN A 30-INCH-DIAMETER C ASING THAT EXTENDED 8 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND (THE CASING WAS 26 FEET LONG). DEBRI S HAD BEEN ENCOUNTERED, AND THE EMPLOYEE HAD TO DIG AT THIS POINT BY HAND. THE E MPLOYEE WAS USING A SMALL JACKHAMMER (CALLED A CLAY SPADE). THE JACKHAMMER CONTA CTED A 12-KILOVOLT UNDERGROUND POWER LINE, ELECTROCUTING THE EMPLOYEE. THE BLUEP RINTS FOR THE SITE DID NOT INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF THE UNDERGROUND LINES, AND T
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 36 M
- Nature of injury
- 10
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 13
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 999
- Human factor
- 4
- Environmental factor
- 13
- Task assigned
- 1
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