OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #660118

ELEC PROTECT EQUIP,ELECTRICAL,ELECTROCUTED,E PTD,TRANSFORMER VAULT,ELEC UTILITY WORK,TRANSFORMER

1987-08-18T04:00:00

Event: ELEC PROTECT EQUIP,ELECTRICAL,ELECTROCUTED,E PTD,TRANSFORMER VAULT,ELEC UTILITY WORK,TRANSFORMER
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 660118
Report ID: 111400

Event description

ELECTRIC SHOCK - DIRECT CONTACT WITH ENERGIZED CONDUCTOR

Investigation abstract

FOUR CABLE SPLICERS AND TWO HELPERS WORKING FOR AN ELECTRIC UTILITY WERE RECONNE THE HEAT. THE CONDUCTORS BEING HANDLED BY THE SPLICERS WERE ENERGIZED AT 120 VO LTS TO GROUND, AND ONLY ONE CONDUCTOR WAS HANDLED AT A TIME. THE CONNECTION POIN TS ON THE TRANSFORMER WERE ALSO ENERGIZED AT 120 VOLTS TO GROUND, WITH THREADED FITTINGS WHICH PROTRUDED FROM A RUBBER MOLD ON THE CONNECTION TREE (POST) FOR EA CH PHASE. THE SPLICERS WERE HANDLING THE LIVE INSULATED ENDS OF THE CONDUCTORS W HILE WEARING ONLY LEATHER WORK GLOVES ON THEIR HANDS. THROUGHOUT THE DAY THE MEN CHANGED SHIRTS AND GLOVES AS THEY BECAME DAMP FROM SWEAT. ONE EMPLOYEE WAS HOLD ING THE END OF ONE PHASE CONDUCTOR WITH HIS LEFT GLOVED HAND AS HE GRASPED THE P ROTRUDING CONNECTOR ATTACHED TO THE SECONDARY POST FOR THAT PHASE OF THE TRANSFO RMER WITH HIS RIGHT GLOVED HAND. THE EMPLOYEES HAD USED A VOLTAGE TESTER AND DET CTING 36 CABLES TO THE SECONDARY OF A TRANSFORMER WITHIN A CONCRETE VAULT. THE C ERMINED THAT THIS WAS THE CORRECT SECONDARY POST FOR THIS CONDUCTOR. THE EMPLOYE E WAS STANDING ON A WOODEN PLANK AND WAS NEXT TO, AND EVIDENTLY IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUNDED TRANSFORMER CASE. THE EMPLOYEE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THEN COLLAPSED. C PR WAS ADMINISTERED BUT TO NO AVAIL. HE HAD BEEN ELECTROCUTED THROUGH HIS LEATHE R GLOVES. ABLE HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED SO THAT AN ELECTRICIAN FOR AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT COULD REPLACE ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT. THE ELECTRICIAN COMPLETED HIS WORK, AND THE CABLE HA D TO BE RECONNECTED. THE TRANSFORMER ITSELF WAS NOT DEENERGIZED BECAUSE IT CONTI NUED TO SUPPLY ANOTHER CUSTOMER. THE WEATHER WAS VERY HOT WITH TEMPERATURES IN T HE 90S THROUGH THE DAY, AND THE TRANSFORMER CONTRIBUTED TO THE HEAT IN THE VAULT . FOR OVER 20 HOURS THE SPLICERS WORKED IN PAIRS, WITH AN EMPLOYEE OF ONE PAIR O N EACH SIDE OF THE TRANSFORMER WHILE THE OTHER PAIR OF WORKERS TOOK A BREAK FROM

Victim

#1 Fatality Age 30 M

Nature of injury
10

Part of body
4

Event type
13

Source
15

Occupation code
577

Human factor
20

Environmental factor
18

Task assigned
1

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