OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14337232
SAN JOSE PLUMBING COMPANY
JACKSONVILLE, FL·
Event description
ELECTRIC SHOCK - GROUND FAULT IN ELECTRIC ROTO-ROOTER
Investigation abstract
A PLUMBER'S HELPER WAS ASSISTING HIS EMPLOYER IN OPENING A CLOGGED SEWER PIPE IN AND EXPOSING THE CONDUCTORS. THE ENERGIZED CONDUCTORS CONTACTED THE METAL BASKE T, ENERGIZING IT AND THE ATTACHED FLEXIBLE METAL COIL. THE EMPLOYEE, WHO WAS STI LL HOLDING THE COIL, WAS ELECTROCUTED. THE EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN WORKING AT THIS JOB FOR 8.5 MONTHS AND HAD HAD NO SAFETY TRAINING. AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. HE WAS STANDING IN A SHALLOW EXCAVATION TO PULL FLEXIBLE COIL FROM THE ROTATING BASKET OF A ROOTER-TYPE SEWER MACHINE AND FORCE IT ALONG THE SEWER LINE. THE EMPLOYER HAD BEEN OPERATING THE MACHINE BY MEANS OF ITS CONT ROL BOX, WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE MACHINE THROUGH A LONG CORD. WHEN THE EMPLOYE R PLACED THE CONTROLLER DOWN AND WENT AROUND THE BUILDING TO CHECK PROGRESS AT A CLEAN OUT OPENING, THE EMPLOYEE PICKED UP THE CONTROLLER AND BEGAN TO OPERATE T HE MACHINE HIMSELF. BECAUSE OF THE EMPLOYEE'S POSITION IN THE EXCAVATION, THE CO NTROLLER CORD BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE ROTATING BASKET, DAMAGING THE INSULATION
Victim
-
#1 Fatality Age 26 M
- Nature of injury
- 10
- Part of body
- 4
- Event type
- 13
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 587
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
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