Inspection Detail

Inspection: 104514104 - Hutchinson Utilities Commission

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

DIESEL GENERATORS WERE SUPPLYING 4160-VOLT 3-PHASE POWER THROUGH 6 MAIN BREAKERS IN A SWITCHGEAR HOUSE FOR OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND DISTRIBUTION LINES. BREAKER #6 WAS AN OLDER-STYLE UNIT AND WAS TO BE ELIMINATED FROM USE SINCE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. TWO QUALIFIED ELECTRICIANS, WHO HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE JOB FOR SEVERAL DAYS, HAD CUT THE PRIMARY LEADS TO THIS BREAKER ABOUT 2 FEET BEHIND THE TERMINAL CONNECTIONS ON THE GENERATOR SIDE OF THE BREAKER. THEY HAD TRANSFERRED THE LEADS OVER TO ANOTHER BREAKER. ONE OF THE ELECTRICIANS WAS CUTTING THE INSULATING TAPE LOOSE FROM THE TERMINAL CONNECTIONS ON THE GENERATOR SIDE OF BREAKER #6 SO THAT THE 2-FOOT-LONG STUBS COULD BE REMOVED. HE THEN REACHED UPWARD AND BEHIND THE #6 BREAKER TERMINAL CONNECTIONS ABOUT 1.5 FEET IN AN ATTEMPT TO CUT THE INSULATING TAPE LOOSE FROM THE VERTICAL BUSBAR FOR ONE OF THE PHASES ABOVE BREAKER #6. THE VERTICAL BUSBAR WAS STILL ENERGIZED FROM A COMMON OVERHEAD BUS, BECAUSE A DISCONNECT SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN OPENED. WHEN THE ELECTRICIAN REACHED UP, HE CONTACTED THE ENERGIZED CONDUCTOR THROUGH THE KNIFE HE WAS USING. HE WAS GROUNDED AT HIS SHOULDER, WHICH WAS IN CONTACT WITH A METAL SUPPORT BAR. THE EMPLOYEE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS FOR A SHORT TIME AND FELL BACKWARD TO THE GROUND. HE SUSTAINED SERIOUS BURNS TO HIS RIGHT HAND AND LEFT SHOULDER.

Keywords: ELECTRICAL, ELECTRICIAN, BUSBAR, LOCKOUT, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, SWITCHGEAR, BLIND REACHING