OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14336499

ELECTRIC ARC,ELECTRICAL,SMOKE INHALATION,BURN,ELECTRICIAN,ELECTROCUTED,FIRE,LOCKOUT,E GI IV,ELECTRICAL WORK

1989-06-30T00:00:00

Event: ELECTRIC ARC,ELECTRICAL,SMOKE INHALATION,BURN,ELECTRICIAN,ELECTROCUTED,FIRE,LOCKOUT,E GI IV,ELECTRICAL WORK
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14336499
Report ID: 418100

Event description

ELECTRIC ARC & FIRE - FAULT IN SWITCHBOARD

Investigation abstract

AN ELECTRICIAN (EMPLOYEE #1) WAS CHANGING A 200-AMPERE FUSE ON THE SIXTH FLOOR O , AND 7) DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. ONE OF THESE EMPLOYEE S WAS FOUND IN THE OFFICE BEHIND THE ELECTRICAL CLOSET; TWO OTHERS WERE FOUND IN AN OFFICE AT THE END OF THE CORRIDOR. ONE OF THEM (EMPLOYEE #7) DIED 3 DAYS AFT ER THE ACCIDENT AT THE HOSPITAL. SHE HAD BEEN TRAPPED IN HER OFFICE BY THE FIRE IN THE CLOSET, WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE MAIN CORRIDOR ALONG THE ONLY PATH TO THE EXIT STAIRWAY. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE (EMPLOYEE #8), WHO HAD BEEN TRAPPED WITH HER, J UMPED FROM THE SIXTH FLOOR WINDOW ONTO THE CONCRETE BELOW. SHE WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH BROKEN LEGS, A BROKEN PELVIS, AND OTHER INJURIES. A NINTH EMPLOYEE (EMPLOYE E #9) WAS ALSO HOSPITALIZED FOR INJURIES RECEIVED IN THE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE REPORT DID NOT STATE WHAT THOSE INJURIES WERE OR HOW THEY WERE RECEIVED. F A BUILDING. THE FUSE HAD BLOWN A FEW MINUTES EARLIER WHILE HE WAS WORKING ON A SWITCH. AS HE WAS CHANGING THE FUSE, TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYEES #2 AND 3) W ERE STANDING JUST OUTSIDE THE ELECTRICAL CLOSET DOORWAY. WHEN THE ELECTRICIAN IN SERTED THE FUSE INTO THE ENERGIZED 480/277-VOLT CIRCUIT, HE CAUSED AN ELECTRIC A RC AND A RESULTING FIRE. THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE ARC VAPORIZED A 120-POUND ALU MINUM BUS BAR. THE ELECTRICIAN WAS ELECTROCUTED BY THE ARC. THE TWO EMPLOYEES ST ANDING OUTSIDE THE DOORWAY WERE BURNED ON THEIR UPPER BODIES. THESE TWO EMPLOYEE S WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR THEIR INJURIES. FOUR OTHER EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYEES #4, 5, 6

Victims (9)

#1 Fatality Age 28 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
31

Event type
13

Source
15

Occupation code
575

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#2 Hospitalized Age 22 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#3 Hospitalized Age 34 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
2

Event type
14

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1
#4 Fatality Age 29 M

Nature of injury
2

Part of body
31

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Task assigned
1
#5 Fatality Age 36 M

Nature of injury
2

Part of body
31

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Task assigned
1
#6 Fatality Age 37 F

Nature of injury
2

Part of body
31

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Task assigned
1
#7 Fatality Age 48 F

Nature of injury
2

Part of body
31

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Task assigned
1
#8 Hospitalized Age 21 F

Nature of injury
12

Part of body
18

Event type
5

Source
43

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Task assigned
1
#9 Hospitalized Age 42 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
28

Event type
8

Source
16

Occupation code
999

Human factor
14

Environmental factor
7

Task assigned
1

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