Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110071511 - Rooker Tower Company

Inspection Information - Office: Atlanta West Area Office

Investigation Summary

A CREW OF EMPLOYEES HAD COMPLETED ERECTING A CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS TOWER. BECAUSE OF HEAVY RAIN, THE WORK AREA WAS LIMITED; AND THE BOOM TRUCK USED IN BUILDING THE TOWER HAD BEEN PARKED UNDER AN OVERHEAD POWER LINE. A 60-FOOT GIN POLE ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN USED TO BUILD THE TOWER. A WIRE ROPE WAS ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF THE GIN POLE, WAS RUN UP TO THE TOP OF THE TOWER, AND THEN WAS RUN DOWN TO A WINCH SET UP NEXT TO THE BOOM TRUCK. THE GIN POLE HAD BEEN LOWERED TO THE GROUND FOR DISASSEMBLY AND LOADING ONTO THE BED OF THE BOOM TRUCK. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES WAS OPERATING THE WINCH, AND ANOTHER WAS OPERATING THE BOOM ON THE TRUCK. THE BOOM OPERATOR HAD THE GIN POLE IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION AND WAS SWINGING THE POLE AROUND, WITH A THIRD EMPLOYEE GUIDING IT BY HAND FROM THE GROUND. THE BOOM OPERATOR WAS WATCHING CAREFULLY TO ENSURE THAT THE BOOM AND GIN POLE CLEARED THE POWER LINE. HOWEVER, NO ONE WAS WATCHING THE WIRE ROPE, AND IT CONTACTED THE POWER LINE. THE EMPLOYEE GUIDING THE GIN POLE WAS ELECTROCUTED. THE EMPLOYEE OPERATING THE WINCH RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND WAS THROWN 20 FEET AWAY. THE EMPLOYER'S SAFETY PROGRAM CONTAINED NO SPECIFIC RULES ON OPERATIONS NEAR ENERGIZED POWER LINES. THE ONLY RELEVANT RULE INSTRUCTED EMPLOYEES TO WATCH OUT FOR POWER LINES.

Keywords: BOOM TRUCK, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, TELECOM WORK, WIRE ROPE, E TC, ELECTROCUTED