Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100151588 - Superior Blasting & Painting Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Peoria Area Office

Investigation Summary

THE OWNER OF A COMPANY AND ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES WERE ABRASIVE BLASTING A BUILDING EXTERIOR FROM A JLG AERIAL LIFT. ALTHOUGH THIS PORTION OF THE JOB WOULD PLACE THE AERIAL LIFT NEAR A 7200-VOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE, THE EMPLOYER PROCEEDED TO RAISE THE LIFT RATHER THAN DELAY THE JOB WAITING FOR THE ELECTRIC UTILITY TO GUARD THE LINES. DURING THE ABRASIVE BLASTING OPERATION, THE EMPLOYER OR THE AERIAL LIFT BUCKET CONTACTED THE POWER LINE; AND THE EMPLOYER, WHO WAS HOLDING THE BLASTING NOZZLE WAS ELECTROCUTED. THE EMPLOYEE IN THE LIFT RECEIVED A LESSER ELECTRIC SHOCK, BUT WAS INJURED MORE SEVERELY WHEN HE WAS STRUCK BY THE ABRASIVE BLAST AS THE EMPLOYER TURNED TOWARD THE EMPLOYEE WITH THE EQUIPMENT STILL OPERATING. A SECOND EMPLOYEE WAS INJURED WHEN HE FELL FROM THE BOOM OF THE AERIAL LIFT AS HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO RESCUE THE INJURED PERSONS IN THE LIFT. HIS FALL RESULTED IN MULTIPLE FRACTURES. BOTH EMPLOYEES WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR THEIR INJURIES.

Keywords: FRACTURE, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, ABRASIVE BLASTING, ELECTROCUTED, E C, ELECTRIC SHOCK, FALL, STRUCK BY, AERIAL LIFT