OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14198543
ELECTRICAL,POWER LINE WORKER,ELECTRICAL TESTING,ELECTROCUTED,LOCKOUT,E PTD,ELEC UTILITY WORK,ELECTRIC SHOCK,UNDRGRD POWER LINE
Event description
ELECTRIC SHOCK - CONTACT WITH POWER LINE THRU TEST EQUIPMENT
Investigation abstract
A power line crew was locating an electrical fault in an underground power line. the line, the service worker installed a new fuse to restore power to other cust omers. In the meantime, the power line crew had connected the cable fault locato r to the 7200-volt underground power line. When the service worker replaced the fuse, the fault locator and the van in which it was mounted became energized. On e of the members of the power line crew was electrocuted when he closed the van door. The other two employees received electric shocks when the fault locator be came energized. A service worker had isolated an underground line that he assumed went to a tra nsformer box. Unfortunately, the service worker had isolated the wrong line. The line that should have been isolated was not marked. The service worker told the power line crew to hook up their portable, van-mounted cable fault locator to t he underground line in the transformer box. He also told them that he had isolat ed the line. The lead power line worker then grounded the line and tested it. He determined that the line was deenergized. However, the fuse in the line was ope n, so the line was deenergized but not isolated. Believing that he had isolated
Victims (3)
-
#1 Fatality Age 33 M
- Nature of injury
- 10
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 12
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 359
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 2
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 41 M
- Nature of injury
- 10
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 13
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 577
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#3 Hospitalized Age 25 M
- Nature of injury
- 10
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 13
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 577
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
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