OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14492706

TECHNICAL METALS, INC.

BORGER, TX· 1988-05-18T00:00:00

Event: ELECTRICAL, CONFINED SPACE, ELECTROCUTED, E C, GROUND FAULT, EQUIPMENT GROUNDING, SYSTEM GROUNDING, ELEC PORT TOOL--MISC
NAICS: 000000
Inspection type: Accident-driven
Activity number: #103412961
Employer profile: TECHNICAL METALS, INC.
Summary number: 14492706
Report ID: 627400

Event description

ELECTRIC SHOCK - GROUND FAULT IN ELECTRIC GRINDER

Investigation abstract

A JOB SUPERINTENDENT WAS INSTALLING INSULATION ON A STEEL TANK AT AN OIL REFINER Y CONSTRUCTION SITE. HE WAS USING A 120-VOLT ELECTRIC PENCIL GRINDER TO GRIND RU ST OFF THE TANK SO THAT PINE COULD BE TACKED TO THE TANK TO HOLD THE INSULATION. WHEN THE STEP-DOWN TRANSFORMER WAS CONNECTED TO THE 480-VOLT, THREE-PHASE-DELTA POWER SUPPLY, THE EQUIPMENT GROUNDING CONDUCTOR BECAME ENERGIZED AT 480 VOLTS. (THE REPORT DID NOT STATE WHEN THIS CONNECTION WAS MADE.) WHEN THE EMPLOYEE'S RI GHT ARM TOUCHED THE METAL TANK WITH THE GRINDER IN HIS LEFT HAND, HE WAS ELECTRO CUTED.

Victim

#1 Fatality Age 34 M

Nature of injury
10

Part of body
2

Event type
12

Source
15

Occupation code
558

Human factor
17

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1

Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.