Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100694868 - Long Island Lighting Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Long Island Area Office

Investigation Summary

AN APPRENTICE LINEMAN OF 6 MONTHS WAS ASSIGNED BY HIS FOREMAN TO CLIMB A UTILITY POLE TO DISCONNECT A SECONDARY DEENERGIZED 240-VOLT LINE. HIS FACE BRUSHED AGAINST THE CLAMP OF A LINE HANGING LOOSE FROM ABOVE WHEN HE WAS TAPING A WIRE. HIS HAND HAD ALSO MADE CONTACT. THERE WAS A FLASH, AND THE EMPLOYEE SLID DOWN TO THE CABLE TELEVISION LINE, BURNED AND UNCONSCIOUS. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED, AND HIS EXTENSIVELY BURNED LEFT ARM WAS AMPUTATED TO THE ELBOW. HE REQIRED FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT BOTH THE FOREMAN AND FIRST CLASS LINEMAN HAD FAILED TO NOTE THAT THERE WAS A HANGING LINE. THIS LINE TRAVELED TO AN INSULATOR ON THE UPPER POLE ARM AND CONTINUED TO A LOADSIDE TAP, THEN TO A FUSE HOLDER IN THE CLOSED POSITION, THEN ON TO A LINESIDE TAP CONNECTED TO AN ENERGIZED 7620-VOLT LINE. THE ROUTE THE LINE FOLLOWED WAS OBVIOUS FROM GROUND LEVEL TO THE PERSONNEL.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, UTILITY POLE