Inspection Detail

Inspection: 102279924 - Kulaga Construction Co., Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

A FOREMAN POWER LINE WORKER WAS MOVING A 10-KILOVOLT-AMPERE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER FROM THE ROAD SIDE OF A UTILITY POLE TO THE HOUSE SIDE OF THE POLE. THE 32-YEAR-OLD EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN IN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. HE WAS NOT WEARING RUBBER INSULATING GLOVES, AND HE HAD NOT COVERED THE SURROUNDING OVERHEAD POWER LINE CONDUCTORS. THE EMPLOYEE COULD NOT FIND HIS GLOVES THAT DAY, AND HE HAD BEEN USING A SPARE PAIR THAT WAS KEPT ON THE TRUCK. WHEN ONE OF THE OTHER WORKERS ASKED WHY HE WAS NOT WEARING RUBBER INSULATING GLOVES, THE FOREMAN REPLIED "I NEED TO ROCK AND ROLL." (IN FACT, THIS EMPLOYEE WAS KNOWN AS ONE WHO LIKED TO WORK FAST.) THE FOREMAN WAS WORKING FROM AN AERIAL LIFT, USING A BAND HOIST TO POSITION THE TRANSFORMER. AS HE WAS USING THE HANDLE ON THE BAND HOIST TO MOVE THE TRANSFORMER, THE HANDLE SLIPPED AND MOVED CLOSE TO THE TOP CONNECTION TO A CUTOUT. HE REACHED FOR THE HANDLE, AND HIS HAND CONTACTED THE 14.4-KILOVOLT PHASE CONDUCTOR TERMINAL ON THE CUTOUT. THE EMPLOYEE, WHOSE BACK WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR, RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND WAS BADLY BURNED. HE WAS FLOWN BY HELICOPTER TO A BURN CENTER, WHERE HE DIED 12 HOURS LATER OF ELECTROCUTION.

Keywords: ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, TRANSFORMER, AERIAL LIFT