105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #607804

EXTENSION LADDER,OVERHEAD POWER LINE,ELECTRICAL,ELECTROCUTED,LADDER,E C,METAL LADDER

Event
EXTENSION LADDER,OVERHEAD POWER LINE,ELECTRICAL,ELECTROCUTED,LADDER,E C,METAL LADDER
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
607804
Report ID
418100

Event description

ELECTRIC SHOCK - CONTACT WITH OVERHEAD LINE THRU LADDER

Investigation abstract

ON A CLEAR, HOT DAY, A PAINTER WAS PAINTING THE GUTTERS ON SOME APARTMENT BUILDI EMPLOYEE WAS AN EXPERIENCED PAINTER, WHO HAD RECEIVED ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. (BEC AUSE THE EMPLOYER DID NOT REPORT THE FATALITY TO OSHA, THE AGENCY DID NOT LEARN OF THE ACCIDENT UNTIL 6 MONTHS LATER.) NGS. HE WAS USING A 24-FOOT METAL EXTENSION LADDER. THE HEIGHT OF THE GUTTER FRO M GROUND WAS 17 FEET, 8 INCHES. A 7200-VOLT OVERHEAD LINE WAS LOCATED 19 FEET, 7 INCHES FROM GROUND AT A HORIZONTAL DISTANCE OF 8 FEET, 6 INCHES FROM THE GUTTER . THE PAINTER HAD PLACED THE BASE OF THE LADDER 8 FEET, 2 INCHES FROM THE BUILDI NG. HE FINISHED PAINTING PART OF THE GUTTER AND DESCENDED THE LADDER SO HE COULD MOVE IT. HE APPARENTLY PUSHED THE LADDER INTO A VERTICAL POSITION TO PICK IT UP , AND THE LADDER CONTACTED THE OVERHEAD LINE. THE PAINTER WAS ELECTROCUTED. THE EMPLOYER HAD NOT CONTACTED THE ELECTRIC UTILITY IN REGARD TO THE POWER LINE. THE

Victim

  1. #1 Fatality Age 28 M

    Nature of injury
    10
    Part of body
    19
    Event type
    6
    Source
    15
    Occupation code
    579
    Human factor
    14
    Environmental factor
    13
    Hazardous substance
    8870
    Task assigned
    1

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