104,543Records 70,659Employers 84,666Hospitalizations 27,563Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-09-30
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14526412

SAFETY BELT,ELEC UTILITY WORK,FALL,FALL PROTECTION,UTILITY POLE

Event
SAFETY BELT,ELEC UTILITY WORK,FALL,FALL PROTECTION,UTILITY POLE
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14526412
Report ID
418800

Event description

FALL - CLIMBER CUT OUT WHILE EMPLOYEE WAS DESCENDING POLE

Investigation abstract

AN EMPLOYEE OF AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR WAS REPLACING A UTILITY POLE. WHEN HE WA S AT THE TOP OF THE POLE TRANSFERRING THE TREE SECTION, HE WAS WEARING HIS SAFET Y BELT AND STRAP. HE CLIMBED DOWN TO A POINT ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHER E SOME OVERHEAD LINES WERE INSTALLED ON THE POLE. HE RELEASED THE SAFETY STRAP T O CLIMB AROUND THE LINES AND USED HIS POLE CLIMBERS TO DESCEND FARTHER. HIS CLIM BERS APPARENTLY CUT OUT, AND THE EMPLOYEE FELL TO THE GROUND. HE STRUCK HIS HEAD ON THE GROUND AND DIED FROM THE INJURIES HE RECEIVED.

Victim

  1. #1 Fatality Age 43 M

    Nature of injury
    3
    Part of body
    13
    Event type
    5
    Source
    5
    Occupation code
    577
    Human factor
    6
    Environmental factor
    13
    Task assigned
    1

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