UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

A TWO-MAN TEST CREW WAS TESTING AN OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER AT A SUBSTATION. THE CREW WAS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE THE LOAD DISPATCHER BEFORE STARTING. THE CREW MANUALLY OPENED THE SWITCH BY MEANS OF AN OPERATING SWITCH HANDLE. THE FIRST EMPLOYEE REMOVED A 20-FOOT WOODEN EXTENSION LADDER FROM THEIR VAN. HE POSITIONED IT TO INSTALL THE HIGH VOLTAGE TEST LEAD ON THE FIRST BUSHING OF THE OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER. AFTER TESTING THE FIRST TWO BUSHINGS, THE EMPLOYEE ASKED THE SECOND WORKER TO PLACE THE TEST LEAD ON THE THIRD ONE. THE EMPLOYEE STATED THAT HE HEARD A NOISE AND SAW THE SECOND EMPLOYEE ON FIRE AND LEANING TOWARD THE THIRD BUSHING. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE, WHO WAS IN THE SUBSTATION YARD, HEARD THE NOISE AND ASSISTED THE FIRST EMPLOYEE IN REMOVING THE INJURED EMPLOYEE FROM THE LADDER. THE FIRST EMPLOYEE STATED THAT THE "B" PHASE BLADE ON THE BUS-SIDE DISCONNECT WAS NEVER OPENED, THUS THE JUMPER FEEDING THIS BUSHING WAS NEVER DEENERGIZED. THE INJURED EMPLOYEE WAS TAKEN TO THE BURN CENTER OF THE HOSPITAL AND DIED THE NEXT DAY. THE FIRST EMPLOYEE, WHO WAS ALSO INJURED, WAS TREATED FOR HIS BURNS AND RELEASED.