OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #745380
BURN,E GI V,ELECTRICAL,CORD SET,THIGH,WET OPERATION,ARM,ELECTRICAL FAULT,HAND,WATER
Event description
BURN - ELECTRICAL FAULT IN CORD SET
Investigation abstract
AN EMPLOYEE WAS ASSIGNED TO WASH A TRUCK USING A PORTA PRO 1000 POWER WASHER. TH THE WASHER CAME UNPLUGGED; AND, AS THE EMPLOYEE PLUGGED THE CORD SET IN FOR THE THIRD TIME, IT BLEW UP IN HIS FACE. THE EMPLOYEE WAS BLINDED BY THE RESULTANT F LASH, AND HE RECEIVED ELECTRICAL BURNS TO HIS RIGHT ARM, HAND, THIGH, AND KNEE. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A SHOCK-TRAUMA UNIT. THE CORD SET HAD BEEN CUT AND REPAIRE D PREVIOUSLY. THE REPAIRED PORTION WAS COVERED IN ELECTRICAL TAPE. (THE EMPLOYEE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TAPED PORTION.) THE CORD SET HAD BLOWN APART AT THE REPAIR ED SECTION. E EMPLOYEE HAD USED THIS EQUIPMENT PREVIOUSLY AND WAS PRESUMABLY FAMILIAR WITH I TS OPERATION. THE PORTABLE ELECTRIC WASHER WAS PLUGGED INTO AN EXTENSION CORD SE T, WHICH IN TURN WAS PLUGGED INTO A RECEPTACLE IN THE REAR OF THE WORK BAY. THE CORD SET WAS STRETCHED TIGHT SO THAT THE WASHER COULD REACH THE TRUCK. AS THE EM PLOYEE WAS WASHING THE TRUCK, THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PROTECTING THE CIRCUIT TO WHIC H THE WASHER WAS CONNECTED TRIPPED TWICE. THE EMPLOYEE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE FA CT THAT THE CORD SET WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO REACH THE RECEPTACLE PROPERLY. THE E MPLOYEE WAS WET FROM WASHING THE TRUCK AND FROM THE 95-DEGREE HEAT AND HUMIDITY.
Victim
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 44 M
- Nature of injury
- 10
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 13
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 549
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 13
- Task assigned
- 1
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