Abstract: A power line worker was working from an aerial lift, stringing a new neutral conductor. He was not wearing electrical protective equipment. He contacted a 4800-volt overhead power line and was electrocuted.

Abstract: A journeyman power line worker had elevated himself and a coworker in an insulated aerial lift. Rubber insulating equipment was readily available to the employees, and they had been reminded to use it. The power line worker, who apparently was not using electrical protective equipment, contacted a 7200-volt overhead power line conductor and a grounded conductor at the same time. He was electrocuted. His coworker sustained burns and was hospitalized for his injuries. (The precise cause of the burn injuries was not reported.)

Abstract: A power line worker was on a utility pole, cutting a guy. The employee was not wearing any electrical protective equipment. He was electrocuted when the cut guy contacted an overhead power line.

Abstract: An underground transformer supplying service for a residential complex had been repaired. A troubleshooter with 42 years of experience was dispatched to reenergize the line supplying the transformer. The employee was working from a utility pole at the primary (4800-volt) level. There were two parallel lines, an east and a west, descending the pole at this point. Only the west line was deenergized; the east line remained energized. The employee was to remove the three grounding jumpers from the pothead stirrups located on the lower crossarm and then from the grounding bracket on the other side of this crossarm. Then he was to reenergize the west line. The employee positioned himself on the south side of the pole--he was facing north with the energized east potheads to his right. The horizontal distance between the grounding bracket and the nearest energized pothead was about 400 millimeters. The employee had removed the three grounding jumpers from the west potheads and had started to remove the jumpers from the grounding bracket. He was using metal pliers and leather wristlet gloves for this purpose. (He was not wearing rubber insulating gloves, nor were the energized east potheads or lines covered with rubber insulating equipment.) The employee contacted an energized east pothead with his right forearm while his right hand was touching the grounding bracket. The employee was electrocuted.

Abstract: A power line worker for an electric utility was working from an aerial lift, attaching phase conductors to lightning arrestors. The employee was not wearing electrical protective equipment. He installed the north phase conductors and then elevated the "non-conductive" aerial lift platform. As he was raising the platform, he contacted two of the phase conductors of the overhead power line and was electrocuted.

Abstract: A power line crew was replacing a broken lightning arrester on the bus work for a transformer in a substation. The supervisor on the crew permitted a truck driver/equipment operator (who was not a qualified employee) to assist in the replacement. The truck driver, who was not wearing any electrical protective equipment or any eye protection, was standing on a fiberglass ladder about 15 to 18 feet above the ground. He was working on the energized (southwest) side of the transformer near a 24-kilovolt switch. A power line worker was working from a Pittman aerial lift on the deenergized (northwest) side of the transformer. The truck driver reached up with his right hand to point out a bolt on the lightning arrester base, which he thought would be hard to remove. As he did so, his elbow contacted the switch. The employee was electrocuted.

Abstract: A POWER LINE WORKER WAS WORKING FROM AN AERIAL LIFT, REPLACING A LIGHTNING ARRESTER, A FUSE HOLDER, AND A TRANSFORMER. THE REPLACEMENTS WERE BEING MADE AS PART OF A JOB TO UPGRADE THE OVERHEAD POWER LINE FROM 4160 VOLTS TO 12.2 KILOVOLTS. THE EMPLOYEE WAS NOT WEARING ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AT THE TIME. HE CONTACTED AN ENERGIZED CONDUCTOR AND WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Abstract: A FOREMAN POWER LINE WORKER WAS MOVING A 10-KILOVOLT-AMPERE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER FROM THE ROAD SIDE OF A UTILITY POLE TO THE HOUSE SIDE OF THE POLE. THE 32-YEAR-OLD EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN IN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS NOT WEARING RUBBER INSULATING GLOVES, AND HE HAD NOT COVERED THE SURROUNDING OVERHEAD POWER LINE CONDUCTORS. THE EMPLOYEE COULD NOT FIND HIS GLOVES THAT DAY, AND HE HAD BEEN USING A SPARE PAIR THAT WAS KEPT ON THE TRUCK. WHEN ONE OF THE OTHER WORKERS ASKED WHY HE WAS NOT WEARING RUBBER INSULATING GLOVES, THE FOREMAN REPLIED "I NEED TO ROCK AND ROLL." (IN FACT, THIS EMPLOYEE WAS KNOWN AS ONE WHO LIKED TO WORK FAST.) THE FOREMAN WAS WORKING FROM AN AERIAL LIFT, USING A BAND HOIST TO POSITION THE TRANSFORMER. AS HE WAS USING THE HANDLE ON THE BAND HOIST TO MOVE THE TRANSFORMER, THE HANDLE SLIPPED AND MOVED CLOSE TO THE TOP CONNECTION TO A CUTOUT. HE REACHED FOR THE HANDLE, AND HIS HAND CONTACTED THE 14.4-KILOVOLT PHASE CONDUCTOR TERMINAL ON THE CUTOUT. THE EMPLOYEE, WHOSE BACK WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR, RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND WAS BADLY BURNED. HE WAS FLOWN BY HELICOPTER TO A BURN CENTER, WHERE HE DIED 12 HOURS LATER OF ELECTROCUTION.

Abstract: A POWER LINE WORKER IN AN AERIAL LIFT BUCKET WAS REENERGIZING A 4160-VOLT TAP DURING A CONVERSION PROJECT. THE EMPLOYEE, WHO WAS NOT USING ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND WAS NOT WEARING ANY HEAD PROTECTION, HAD THE DEENERGIZED TAP IN HIS HANDS. AN UNGUARDED 4160-VOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE WAS NEAR HIM AS HE WAS WORKING. THE EMPLOYEE CONTACTED THE POWER LINE WITH HIS FACE WHILE HE WAS APPARENTLY IN CONTACT WITH THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR. HE RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND WAS BURNED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS FACE, ON BOTH HANDS, AND ON THE INSIDE OF HIS RIGHT ELBOW, WHERE HE HAD A GAPING HOLE. BECAUSE HE WAS NOT WEARING PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, THE EMPLOYEE FELL FROM THE BUCKET ABOUT 25 FEET TO THE GROUND. THE EMPLOYEE DIED OF ELECTROCUTION OR FROM THE INJURIES HE SUSTAINED IN THE FALL.

Abstract: AN EMPLOYEE WAS ASSIGNED TO CONNECT A GROUND WIRE TO THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR OF AN OVERHEAD POWER LINE. THE EMPLOYEE, WHO WAS NOT WEARING ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, WENT TOO HIGH AND GRASPED THE 7620-VOLT PHASE CONDUCTOR OF THE POWER LINE. HE WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Abstract: TWO POWER LINE WORKERS WERE WORKING FROM THE BUCKET OF AN AERIAL LIFT, INSTALLING SUSPENSION INSULATORS ON NEW, GROUNDED CONDUCTORS. THE OLD 7200-VOLT CONDUCTORS, WHICH REMAINED ENERGIZED, HAD BEEN MOVED LATERALLY ONTO AUXILIARY CROSSARMS. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES, WHO WAS NOT USING ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, REACHED OVER THE NEW CONDUCTOR AND POINTED TOWARD AN OLD CONDUCTOR, CONTACTING IT WITH HIS HAND. THE NEW CONDUCTOR WAS ALSO CONTACTING THE EMPLOYEE, BENEATH HIS ARMPIT. THE POWER LINE WORKER WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Abstract: A power line worker was moving a deenergized overhead power line. The employee, who was not using electrical protective equipment, inadvertently backed into a nearby energized 7200-volt overhead power line. The employee received an electric shock, second-degree burns to his back at the right shoulder, and third-degree burns to his right hand. He was hospitalized for his injuries.

Abstract: A POWER LINE CREW WAS REPAIRING A 7200-VOLT, THREE-PHASE OVERHEAD POWER LINE DOWNED BY A HEAVY SNOW STORM. A BOOM TRUCK USED BY THE CREW GOT STUCK IN THE SNOW. SINCE THE TRUCK WAS NOT AVAILABLE, ONE OF THE POWER LINE WORKERS CLIMBED A UTILITY POLE TO PERFORM HIS WORK. THE EMPLOYEE WAS NOT USING ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, AND THE POWER LINE WAS NOT GROUNDED. HE CONTACTED THE MIDDLE PHASE CONDUCTOR ON THE POLE AND WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Abstract: An employee of an electrical contractor was working from a ladder, using a conductive hole punch in an energized substation. The employee was not using any electrical protective equipment. He apparently contacted an energized part and was electrocuted.

Abstract: A power line worker was replacing a utility pole. In violation of written work rules for live-line work, he was working alone and was not wearing rubber insulating gloves. The employee attached a jumper cable to an overhead conductor on the old pole. He connected it to the wrong phase. Since the 2100-volt phase conductor was energized, the employee was electrocuted.