Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200550515 - EMPLOYEE WAS EJECTED FROM AN OUT-OF-CONTROL AERIAL LIFT

Accident Summary Nr: 200550515 -- Report ID: 0625700 -- Event Date: 01/19/1999
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
301994091	01/27/1999	1623	0	Valley Electric Membership Corporation, Inc.

Abstract: A power line crew was relocating overhead power lines that were in the way of a highway bridge under construction. The crew had set the new poles. One member of the crew, a power line worker with 21 years of experience, was in a digger-derrick-aerial lift, transferring conductors from an old pole to a new one. The conductors became entangled with the controls for the boom, and the operator (a coworker) lost control of the boom. The boom raised and lowered repeatedly and then rotated to the right, jamming the aerial lift bucket into the pole. The power line worker was ejected and fell 7.6 meters, landing in the back of the truck. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where he died of his injuries 8 hours after the accident. Body harnesses were available, but were not being used despite posted warning signs and instructions to use a harness.

Keywords: EJECTED, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, POWER LINE WORKER, FOULED LINE, ELEC UTILITY WORK, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, AERIAL LIFT CONTROLS, AERIAL LIFT

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Powerline, transmission line		New project or new addition		Under $50,000		35	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	301994091			Fatality	Other	Electrical power installers and repairers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: 25 feet Cause: Fencing, installing lights, signs, etc. Fatality Cause: Fall from/with bucket (aerial lift/basket)

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