Inspection Detail

Inspection: 106447691 - Savannah Electric And Power Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Savannah Area Office

Investigation Summary

A contractor had previously set a new utility pole next to an existing pole. Both wood poles were 65 feet in length. However, the contractor had set the replacement pole so that its top was about 28 inches below the old pole. On the day of the accident, three employees (two power line workers and one apprentice) climbed the pole, and two workers remained on the ground. The crew covered the 115-kilovolt overhead power line, transferred the overhead ground wire, installed the pole ground wire, and cut off a portion of the old pole. The crew then installed a temporary crossarm at the top of the new pole to enable them to lift the phase conductors. The crew decided to transfer the bottom conductor first. A new 6-foot-long, metal davit arm was installed on the new pole to support the bottom conductor. After installation, the davit arm was only about 26 inches from the energized conductor. The crew attached lifting blocks to the temporary crossarm and to a 4-foot lifting stick. The lifting stick was attached to the bottom phase conductor near the suspension insulator. The next step in the procedure was to pull the cotter key at the bottom of the insulator string to release the conductor. The apprentice power line worker was using an 8-foot-long A. B. Chance tie stick with a key puller attachment to remove the cotter key from the insulator string. The cotter key was facing away from the pole, and the employee was having difficulty removing it. The other power line worker had a live-line tool to turn the bottom bell. The clearance between the metal end of the lifting stick that was in contact with the energized phase conductor and the metal davit arm, which was at ground potential, was estimated to be about 12 to 14 inches. An arc-over occurred between the conductor and the metal davit arm, and fault current passing through the pole ground melted it and caused further arcing. The two power line workers lost consciousness. The apprentice line worker shook one of his unconscious coworkers, who quickly regained consciousness. The apprentice then patted out the flames of the burning tee-shirt on his other coworker, began pole-top rescue procedures on him, and lowered him to the ground. The apprentice and the other power line worker then descended the pole. A total of five employees were transported to a hospital. Two employees on the ground had rope burns on their hands from lowering the injured employee. The three employees on the pole had second- and third-degree burns and were hospitalized for their injuries.

Keywords: BURN, CLOTHING, ELECTRIC ARC, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, LIVE-LINE TOOL, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRICAL FAULT