Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 80157.015 - Employee is electrocuted while cleaning table saw
| Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1097559.015 | 10/08/2015 | 337110 | Koch Tenn Inc |
Abstract: At 3:00 p.m. on October 6, 2015, Employee #1 contacted an energized lifting table while cleaning wood dust and debris from a Lauderdale-Hamilton brand gang rip saw and the surrounding area. The employee cleaned the machine every 2 to 3 weeks since February 2015. The machines were cleaned using an air hose and broom. Employee#1 was found lying face down and unresponsive between the lifting table and the gang rip saw. Employee#2 was shocked trying to move the body to administer aid. The gang rip saw was de-energized and Employee #1 was moved to an area where first-responders began CPR. Local rescue personnel were called and took over first aid upon arrival and removed employee #1. In the main electrical panel for the rip saw, 2 of 3 fuses tripped. The third fuse did not trip because the surge of electricity caused the contact inside the panel to weld itself open. The lifting table was equipped with a flexible power cord which was connected to a receptacle located on a power box which was fixed to the frame of the gang rip saw. The grounding wire located inside the receptacle was covered in insulation where it was attached to the grounding lug; thus rendering the ground wire ineffective. Further review of the power cord revealed the cord had seven areas of damage to the sheath and insulation, including two complete breaks which were spliced together and then covered by electrical tape. Damage to the flexible cord allowed the copper wiring contained in the cord to make contact with the lifting table, resulting in the table becoming energized. In combination with the improperly grounded receptacle, this allowed electricity to travel from the lifting table through Employee #1 and into the nearby grounded gang rip saw. Employee #1 was electrocuted.
| Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1097559.015 | 26 | M | Fatality | Machine operators, not specified |
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