OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #954602

BURN,CHEST,CLOTHING,OVERHEAD POWER LINE,ELECTRICAL,STREETLIGHTING,ARM,UTILITY POLE,E GI IC

1989-07-20T10:15:00

Event: BURN,CHEST,CLOTHING,OVERHEAD POWER LINE,ELECTRICAL,STREETLIGHTING,ARM,UTILITY POLE,E GI IC
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 954602
Report ID: 355112

Event description

BURN - CONTACT WITH OVERHEAD LINE THRU LIGHT POLE

Investigation abstract

SIX EMPLOYEES WERE SETTING A 30-FOOT FIBERGLASS STREETLIGHT POLE, BY HAND, INTO FIXTURE. APPARENTLY, AN ELECTRIC ARC ENSUED, AND THE SIX EMPLOYEES RECEIVED BURN S TO THEIR LOWER ARMS AND CHEST. ONE OF THEM (#5) WAS TREATED FOR MINOR BURNS AN D RELEASED. THE OTHERS WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR THEIR INJURIES. A 44-INCH HOLE THAT HAD BEEN DUG IN THE GROUND. THE LIGHT AND POLE HAD BEEN WIRE D WITH A NO. 12 AWG COPPER CONDUCTOR BEFORE THE POLE WAS SET. THE COPPER CONDUCT OR RAN FROM THE LIGHT TO THE BASE OF THE POLE. THE LIGHTING FIXTURE WAS CONTAINE D IN A FIBERGLASS HOUSING. A 330-KILOVOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE WAS LOCATED DIRECT LY ABOVE THE HOLE FOR THE LIGHT POLE. TWO OF THE EMPLOYEES (#2 AND #5) WERE AT T HE BASE OF THE POLE TO GUIDE IT INTO THE HOLE. THE FOUR OTHER EMPLOYEES STOOD UP THE LIGHT POLE BY HAND, AND IT CONTACTED THE CENTER PHASE OF A 100-KILOVOLT-TO- GROUND OVERHEAD POWER LINE AT THE TOP OF THE FIBERGLASS HOUSING ON THE LIGHTING

Victims (6)

#1 Hospitalized Age 44 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
17

Event type
6

Source
15

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
2
#2 Hospitalized Age 18 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
17

Event type
6

Source
15

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
2
#3 Hospitalized Age 21 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
17

Event type
6

Source
15

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
2
#4 Hospitalized Age 29 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
17

Event type
6

Source
15

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
2
#5 Non-hospitalized injury Age 34 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
17

Event type
6

Source
15

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
2
#6 Hospitalized Age 24 M

Nature of injury
5

Part of body
5

Event type
6

Source
15

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
13

Task assigned
2

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