Inspection Detail

Inspection: 105736524 - E. T. Moore Jr. Company

Inspection Information - Office: Va-E-Richmond (Regional Office) - Safety 0355111

Investigation Summary

TWO EMPLOYEES WERE STRAIGHTENING THE LOAD LINE ON THE DRUM OF A 1974 KOEHRING 65-TON TRUCK CRANE. THE CRANE HAD JUST UNDERGONE A COMPLETE CLEANING AND HAD BEEN REPAINTED. THE CRANE, WHICH WAS USED IN DISMANTLING BUILDINGS, HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR. THE CRANE OPERATOR HAD SET UP THE CRANE ADJACENT TO A 34.5-KILOVOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE SO THAT THIS JOB COULD BE PERFORMED. THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION WAS USED BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY LOCATION WITH ENOUGH ROOM TO PULL THE CABLE OFF THE DRUM. ONE OF THE TWO EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THE LOAD LINE HAD USED A FORK LIFT TO BRING A 6-FOOT-BY-7-FOOT-9-INCH MATERIAL BASKET TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PLANT. HE PLACED THE BASKET, WHICH WAS TO BE USED AS EXTRA WEIGHT TO STRAIGHTEN THE LOAD LINE, DIRECTLY BENEATH THE POWER LINE, ABOUT 50 FEET WEST OF THE CRANE. HE THEN REINSTALLED THE HEADACHE BALL ON THE LOAD LINE AND, AFTER STEADYING THE BALL, STARTED TOWARD THE BASKET. AS HE STARTED TOWARD THE BASKET, THE CRANE OPERATOR STARTED TO SWING THE BOOM OF THE CRANE TOWARD THE BASKET SO THAT THE EMPLOYEE COULD HOOK THE BASKET TO THE LOAD LINE. THE EMPLOYEE ARRIVED AT THE BASKET AND WAS STANDING ON THE WOODEN PLATFORM OF THE BASKET HOLDING ITS CONNECTING CABLES WHEN THE HOOK ARRIVED. AS HE PUT HIS HAND ON THE HOOK OF THE CRANE, THE LOAD LINE CONTACTED THE POWER LINE. THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND BURNS TO HIS ABDOMEN AND TO BOTH HANDS. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR HIS INJURIES.

Keywords: BURN, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, E GI IA, ELECTRIC SHOCK, LOAD LINE, CRANE