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Accident: 201340395 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Regulator

Accident: 201340395 -- Report ID: 0729700 -- Event Date: 06/03/1998
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
30101368606/05/19984911Western Resources
A three-person power line crew was replacing one of a set of three voltage regulators at a substation. The crew consisted of a substation supervisor and two substation electricians. The crew's maintenance supervisor stopped by to observe the operation. The crew obtained switching orders to deenergize the three regulators, which were located on the east side of the substation. The bad regulator was located on the south end of the regulator bank. The crew bypassed the load on the regulators and deenergized them. The crew then replaced the malfunctioning regulator with an Allis-Chalmers regulator (Serial No. 3-3740-00228-9). After the crew visually determined that the controls were in the neutral position as required by the manufacturer, the two electricians took a break. One of them was at the back of the maintenance truck, which was located about 4.3 meters south-southwest of the new regulator. The other electrician was further forward. While these two employees were on break, the substation supervisor closed the bus-side contacts on the three regulators, energizing them. He then closed the load-side contacts. About 5 minutes passed since the supervisor energized the south regulator, but none of the regulators was under full load, as the bypasses were shunting load around the regulators. When the supervisor opened the bypass switch for the new regulator and placed it under load, the regulator failed. The internal pressure in the regulator forced open its lid directly in line with the first electrician, who was sitting on the back of the truck. A large quantity of burning oil from the regulator struck him. The oil also struck the other electrician and the maintenance supervisor, but they were apparently not injured. The second electrician and the substation supervisor extinguished the flames on the injured employee, while the maintenance supervisor summoned emergency medical services with his radio. The injured employee was transported to a local hospital and transferred to a burn center, where he died of complications resulting from second- and third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body.
Keywords: burn, electric arc, electrical, flammable liquid, power line worker, e ptd, elec utility work, electrical fault, elec equipment--misc
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 301013686 Fatality Burn/Scald(Heat) Electricians

Accident: 200671253 - Burn - Electrical Fault

Accident: 200671253 -- Report ID: 0418800 -- Event Date: 04/01/1998
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
30049828404/03/19981731Red Simpson, Inc.
A power line worker caused an electrical fault. The ensuing electric arc ignited hydraulic fluid, and the employee burned to death.
Keywords: burn, electric arc, electrical, power line worker, fire, hydraulic fluid, e ptd, elec utility work, electrical fault
End Use Proj Type Proj Cost Stories NonBldgHt Fatality
Powerline, transmission line Maintenance or repair $50,000 to $250,000 2 30 X
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation Construction
1 300498284 Fatality Burn/Scald(Heat) Electrical power installers and repairers FallDist:
FallHt:
Cause: Interior plumbing, ducting, electrical work
FatCause: Electrocution by equipment contacting wire

Accident: 170632699 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Transformer

Accident: 170632699 -- Report ID: 0950644 -- Event Date: 03/31/1997
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
12612496503/31/19974911Southern Calif. Edison
Two power line workers were working on a utility pole, replacing one transformer in a bank of three. The employees replaced the defective Central Transformer Co. transformer (Serial No. 2370474314) with a new Howard Industries transformer (Serial No. 1260760597). The other two transformers in the bank were manufactured by Central Transformer Co. (Serial No. 2370474813) and McGraw-Edison (Serial No. 69VK084005). After the transformer was replaced, one of the power line workers tested the transformers for voltage and asked the customer to close the main power switch. After about 50 seconds, the McGraw-Edison transformer failed. The oil inside the transformer ignited and sprayed over the pole, the employees, and their truck, which was parked nearby. Both employees died of electric shock and burns received in the accident. (The cause of the electric shock was not noted on the original form.)
Keywords: burn, electric arc, overhead power line, electrical, power line worker, e ptd, elec utility work, electric shock, electrical fault, transformer
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 126124965 Fatality Electric Shock Electrical power installers and repairers
2 126124965 Fatality Electric Shock Electrical power installers and repairers

Accident: 170762769 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Regulator

Accident: 170762769 -- Report ID: 0950622 -- Event Date: 03/27/1996
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
11980080303/28/19964931Pg & E
Two journeyman high-voltage electricians were dispatched to a substation to troubleshoot a regulator that was not responding to automatic control. They had completed a low-voltage relay examination and replaced a loose Porter Brumfield relay in its socket. They then placed the controls on manual, adjusted voltage, and returned the regulator to automatic control to determine whether it was functioning correctly. The stepping device moved one step, and then the regulator failed, spewing burning insulating oil out of the overpressure vent. The hot oil burned both employees. One of them died of his injuries.
Keywords: burn, electric arc, electrical, electrician, e ptd, substation, elec utility work, electrical fault, elec equipment--misc
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 119800803 Fatality Burn/Scald(Heat) Electricians
2 119800803 Non Hospitalized injury Burn/Scald(Heat) Electricians

Accident: 837815 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Motor Control Center

Accident: 837815 -- Report ID: 0522000 -- Event Date: 10/29/1994
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
10312750211/01/19944911The Dayton Power & Light Company
A crew of maintenance electricians for an electric utility was troubleshooting a malfunctioning circulating pump. A problem relating to voltage drop in the control circuit was suspected, so a portion of the circuit was bypassed. Subsequent attempts to start the motor resulted in a burned relay and damage to the closing coil in the motor contactor. A power plant operator (employee #4) was disengaging the motor contactor from a 4160-volt bus when an electrical fault occurred. The ensuing electric arc burned the plant operator, along with three other employees who were standing in front of the contactor's cubicle. Two of the three employees standing in front of the cubicle died of their injuries. The other two employees were hospitalized with severe burns.
Keywords: burn, clothing, electric arc, electrical, switchboard, electrical work, lockout, e ptd, elec utility work, electrical fault
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 103127502 Fatality Burn/Scald(Heat) Supervisors, mechanics and repairers
2 103127502 Fatality Burn/Scald(Heat) Electricians
3 103127502 Hospitalized injury Burn/Scald(Heat) Supervisors, production occupations
4 103127502 Hospitalized injury Burn/Scald(Heat) Power plant operators

Accident: 14343594 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Transfomer

Accident: 14343594 -- Report ID: 0418400 -- Event Date: 03/26/1992
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
10900700506/15/19924911Colquitt Electric Membership Corp.
An Allis-Chalmers transformer (Serial No. 21-114-502-424) had been installed in a new substation. While it was being tested, it failed, and the resulting explosion released burning oil onto a foreman for an electric utility crew. The foreman, who had been standing about 2.4 meters away from the transformer while the test was being conducted, was burned on his back. He died of his injuries. The transformer manufacturer inspected the transformer and found that the cause of the explosion was internal failure.
Keywords: burn, clothing, electrical, back, e ptd, substation, elec utility work, electrical fault, transformer
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 109007005 Fatality Burn(Chemical) Supervisors; electricians & power transm. install.

Accident: 14504773 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Recloser

Accident: 14504773 -- Report ID: 0728500 -- Event Date: 03/04/1991
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
10664123603/06/19911623Par Electrical Contractors, Inc.
TWO POWER LINE WORKERS (ONE OF WHOM WAS A FOREMAN) WENT TO A SUBSTATION WITH ORDERS TO OPEN AN OIL CIRCUIT RECLOSER. THE RECLOSER WAS SITUATED NEAR THE TOP OF A POLE AND HAD A REMOTE SWITCH BOX LOCATED CLOSER TO THE GROUND. WHILE THE FOREMAN WAITED ON THE GROUND, THE OTHER POWER LINE WORKER WENT UP ABOUT 10 FEET IN AN AERIAL LIFT AND THREW THE REMOTE SWITCH. THE RECLOSER RUPTURED, SPRAYING BURNING INSULATING OIL ON THE EMPLOYEE IN THE BUCKET. HE DIED A SHORT TIME LATER.
Keywords: burn, clothing, overhead power line, electrical, electric switch, power line worker, fire, e ptd, elec utility work, electrical fault
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 106641236 Fatality Burn/Scald(Heat) Electrical power installers and repairers

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