Inspection Detail

Inspection: 101552867 - Farrens Tree Surgeons Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Fort Lauderdale Area Office

Investigation Summary

WORKING FOR AN ELECTRIC UTILITY, A THREE-PERSON TREE-TRIMMING CREW WAS TRIMMING TREES NEAR OVERHEAD POWER LINES. THE CREW FOREMAN WAS ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, SECURED IN A LARGE TREE BY A ROPE AND SAFETY BELT. THE ROPE WAS SECURELY TIED TO THE TREE. A LIMB CAME OFF THE TRUNK OF THE TREE AND FELL OVER THE TOP OF ONE OF THE 7620-VOLT POWER LINES. (THE LIMB OVER THE POWER LINE WAS ABOUT 7 TO 8 FEET ABOVE THE LINE AND BEYOND IT BY ABOUT 3 TO 4 FEET, WITH BRANCHES AND LEAVES STILL ATTACHED.) THE FOREMAN BEGAN CUTTING AWAY BRANCHES, FIRST BY HANDSAW, THEN BY CHAINSAW, THEN BY HANDSAW AGAIN. HE WAS USING THE HANDSAW TO TRIM THE LIMB OVER THE POWER LINE. THE FOREMAN TIED THE PULL ROPE TO A LIMB. THE EMPLOYEES ON THE GROUND, UPON INSTRUCTION OF THE FOREMAN, PULLED THE ROPE, WHICH PASSED THROUGH THE TOP OF THE TREE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE FOREMAN STARTED TO CUT UNDERNEATH THE LIMB. THE LIMB WAS PULLED INTO THE POWER LINE. THE FOREMAN RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK, PERHAPS BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE LINE, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO LOSE HIS BALANCE AND FALL. HIS FALL WAS BROKEN BY THE SAFETY BELT AND LINE. HOWEVER, HE HAD BEEN ELECTROCUTED. BURN MARKS WERE FOUND ON HIS RIGHT SHOULDER AND LEG.

Keywords: E GI III, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, TREE LIMB, ELECTROCUTED, TREE TRIMMING