Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 171061401 - Three employees burned by arc from electrical panel

Accident Summary Nr: 171061401 -- Report ID: 0854910 -- Event Date: 09/07/2001
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
304411531	09/11/2001	1731	0	Westerm Us Lighting & Electric

Abstract: On September 7, 2001, Employees #1 through #3, all electricians, were installing a new disconnect in the main electrical panel of the Merrill Engineering Building on the University of Utah campus. Employee #1 was using a hand wrench to tighten the lug on the grounding cable, Employee #2 was holding a flashlight for him, and Employee #3 was holding the conductors. As they were working, Employee #1's wrench contacted a 480-volt buss, resulting in an electrical arc to ground (277-volts buss to ground). All three workers suffered severe electrical flash burns and were hospitalized. They had been using uninsulated tools and had not paid attention to a missing guard in the electrical panel, which allowed contact with an energized buss.

Keywords: BURN, ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, ELECTRIC ARC, WORK RULES, ELECTRICIAN, STRUCK AGAINST, BUSBAR, CONSTRUCTION, ELECTRICAL WORK, HAND TOOL

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Other building		Maintenance or repair		$250,000 to $500,000	2

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	304411531	Hospitalized injury	Electric Shock	Electricians' apprentices	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Interior plumbing, ducting, electrical work Fatality Cause: Electrocution from equipment installation/tool use
2	304411531	Hospitalized injury	Burn/Scald(Heat)	Electricians' apprentices	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Fatality Cause:
3	304411531	Hospitalized injury	Burn/Scald(Heat)	Electricians' apprentices	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Fatality Cause:

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