Inspection Detail

Inspection: 110132693 - Harper Electric Construction Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Jacksonville Area Office

Investigation Summary

A three-person power line crew arrived at a worksite in a farm field. Their employer, a power line contractor, had the job of replacing utility poles. A four-conductor, 45-kilovolt overhead power line was supported by the existing poles. The crew's assignment was to spot the new poles on the ground where they were to be placed. The foreman directed the ground worker (who had 6 month's experience at his job--all with this employer) and the truck crane operator to position the crew's two trucks under the power line, where the new poles had been unloaded by the supplier, and to wait for further instructions. The foreman was going to inform them by radio of what size poles he would need. He then proceeded along the line to a site about 100 yards from the trucks. The crane operator mounted the truck from the rear to reach the operator's station. The ground worker was standing on the right side of the truck near the rear wheels and next to the new poles. The operator raised the boom up between 2 and 4 feet and swung it to the right. The hook on the load line was located directly over the stack of poles. Unfortunately, the boom had contacted the power line. The crane operator saw the ground worker fall to the ground. The operator lowered the boom, tried to help the injured employee, and called his foreman on the radio. The foreman and the crane operator transported the ground worker to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He had been electrocuted.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, BOOM, POWER LINE WORKER, CRANE BOOM, POTENTIAL GRADIENT, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, CRANE