Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 200120178 - ELECTRIC SHOCK - CONTACT WITH OVERHEAD LINE THRU TREE BRANCH
| Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300112620 | 09/03/1997 | 0783 | 0 | Asplundh Tree Expert Co. |
Abstract: A line-clearance tree-trimmer trainee on his fourth Monday working for a line-clearance contractor was removing a tree from the yard of a residence. He was strapped into the tree, trimming a branch that was within 1.8 meters horizontally of an 8320-volt (phase-to-phase) overhead power line. The branch had been roped, and the free end of the rope was being held by the supervisor, who was on the ground about 7.6 meters away. The trainee did not leave enough hinge wood to control the direction of the fall, and the butt of the branch slid horizontally, coming to rest on one of the phase conductors. Because of the position of the rope and the weight of the branch, the branch fell to a near-horizontal position, with the upper part touching the trainee. He was electrocuted. The trainee was replacing a seasonal tree trimmer who had returned to college. The trainee was being trained simultaneously as a ground worker and a tree trimmer and had not yet been tested or certified for either position.
| Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300112620 | Fatality | Electric Shock | Forestry workers, except logging |
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