Inspection Detail

Inspection: 107829574 - Ertel Construction Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Sc Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation

Investigation Summary

A CREW OF EMPLOYEES WAS INSTALLING CABLE TELEVISION CABLE ON UTILITY POLES THAT WERE OWNED BY AN ELECTRIC UTILITY AND THAT SUPPORTED AN EXISTING 7200-VOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE. THE SUSPENSION STRAND FOR THE CABLE HAD BEEN INSTALLED SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN GROUNDED. TWO EMPLOYEES WERE USING A CABLE JIG TO PULL THE CABLE ALONG THE SUSPENSION STRAND. ONCE THE CABLE WAS LAID OUT ALONG THE UTILITY POLES, IT WAS LASHED TO THE SUSPENSION STRAND. AS THE EMPLOYEES WERE PULLING THE CABLE, THE JIG FELL FROM THE STRAND. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES THEN CLIMBED ONTO A NEARBY HOUSE TO REPLACE THE JIG. THE HOUSE WAS LOCATED BENEATH THE OVERHEAD POWER LINE AND THE SUSPENSION STRAND, AND THE TOP OF THE ROOF WAS ABOUT 4 FEET FROM THE POWER LINE. THE EMPLOYEE'S HARD HAT FELL OFF WHILE HE WAS CLIMBING, AND HE LEFT IT OFF WHILE HE REINSTALLED THE JIG. AS HE STOOD UP AFTER REPLACING THE JIG, HIS HEAD CONTACTED THE OVERHEAD POWER LINE. THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK, WHICH KNOCKED HIM TO THE GROUND, MORE THAN 10 FEET BELOW. THE EMPLOYEE WAS ELECTROCUTED. HE WAS NOT WEARING HIS HARD HAT, FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, OR ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND HE HAD NOT BEEN TRAINED.

Keywords: HARD HAT, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, TELECOM WORK, E TC, ELECTROCUTED