Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200784668 - Laborer Is Electrocuted While Picking Up an Elbow Connector

Accident Summary Nr: 200784668 -- Report ID: 0626300 -- Event Date: 02/18/2009
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
312120215	02/18/2009	1623	237130	Thedford Construction Company, Inc.

Abstract: On February 18, 2009, Employee #1, a 21-year-old male, with Thedford Construction Company, was working at a job site with a damaged connector probe. The job foreman while digging a receiving pit at a transformer, struck an underground 14.4 kV primary with the bucket of the excavator and pulled the load-break apparatus connector (#B7 elbow connector) from the transformer. This incident damaged the elbow connector probe. The foreman then instructed two laborers to pick-up the elbow connector, and to repair the probe. The laborers retrieved a new elbow connector (probe, probe installation tool, and manufacturer's instructions included) from the company's truck. As one laborer attempted to use a shotgun stick (insulated live-line tool) to pick-up the elbow and cable the foreman became angry, and told him to grab it with his hand. The laborer refused because the primary was still energized. The two laborers walked upstream to deenergize the power line. The foreman then directed Employee #1, who had just returned from the restroom, to pick-up the elbow connector and to repair the probe. Employee #1 was wearing a damaged pair of Class-Three rubber insulating gloves, and was electrocuted while trying to remove the broken probe from the elbow connector.

Keywords: ELEC INSULATION, ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, PPE, ELECTROCUTED, ELECTRICAL WORK, CURRENT LEAKAGE, ELECTRIC SHOCK, UNTRAINED, UTILITY POLE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Powerline, transmission line		New project or new addition		$500,000 to $1,000,000			X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	312120215			Fatality	Electric Shock	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Interior plumbing, ducting, electrical work Fatality Cause: Electrocution by touching exposed wire/source

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