Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 142040.015 - Two employees are burned in arc flash during breaker replace

Accident Summary Nr: 142040.015 -- Report ID: 0419700 -- Event Date: 12/14/2021
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
1569321.015	12/17/2021		238210	Empire Electric, Inc.

Abstract: At 5:00 p.m. on December 14, 2021, Employees #1 and #2 worked to troubleshoot and repair a live one hundred-ampere main breaker. Employee #1 removed the dead front panel and the old breaker and began to install the new one hundred ampere breaker. Employee #1 stood in front of the panel while working and had connected the new breaker to the A-phase side using a non-insulated flat tip screwdriver (KLEIN Tools Serial #32290) and began to line up the C-phase side when an arc flash fire ball shot out of the panel and engulfed both employees. Both employees were hospitalized to treat electrical burns. Employee #1 received second degree burns to the face, head, ears, and neck, and third degree burns to the left arm. Employee #2 received second degree burns to the face, neck, arm, and upper torso.

Keywords: Alarm, Burn, Circuit Breaker, Connecting, Electric Arc Flash, Electrical Burn, Electrical Work, Electrical panel, Engulfed, Face, Fire, Hand Tool, Installing, Insulated Tool, Neck, Torso

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	1569321.015	35	M	Hospitalized injury		Electricians' apprentices
2	1569321.015	48	M	Hospitalized injury		Electricians

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