Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112019476 - Larkin Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

A FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY HAD COMPLETED FILMING, AND ALL SETS AND EQUIPMENT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE FILMING SITE--A WAREHOUSE. AT ABOUT 11:00 AM, THE FRONT OFFICE AREA EXPERIENCED A POWER OUTAGE, AND A TRANSPORTATION CAPTAIN WHO WAS WORKING THERE WENT TO THE ELECTRICAL VAULT ROOM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A PRODUCTION COORDINATOR. THE TRANSPORTATION CAPTAIN USED A "JUMPER CABLE" TO TEST FOR BLOWN FUSES. HE HAD "TESTED" THE THREE MAIN FUSES AND FOUND THEM TO BE WORKING. HE THEN STEPPED BACK TWO OR THREE STEPS FROM THE PANELBOARD, AND AN ELECTRICAL FAULT OCCURRED. THE ENSUING ELECTRIC ARC BURNED THE TRANSPORTATION CAPTAIN. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH SECOND DEGREE BURNS TO HIS ARMS AND TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS FACE AND WITH MINOR BURNS OVER THE REST OF HIS BODY. THE PRODUCTION COORDINATOR WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. AN ELECTRICIAN, WHO WAS A FORMER EMPLOYEE, ENTERED THE PREMISES TO COLLECT HIS FINAL PAYCHECK. THE ELECTRICIAN WAS AWARE OF THE ELECTRICAL POWER OUTAGE AND, AT ABOUT 1:00 PM, WENT TO THE ELECTRICAL VAULT TO COPY EQUIPMENT SERIAL NUMBERS. WHILE HE WAS IN FRONT OF THE PANELBOARD, A SECOND ELECTRICAL FAULT OCCURRED. THE ELECTRICIAN, WHO WAS BURNED BY THE RESULTING ELECTRIC ARC, STAGGERED OUT OF THE VAULT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 25 FEET BEFORE COLLAPSING ONTO THE WAREHOUSE FLOOR. HE WAS AIR LIFTED TO A BURN CENTER, BUT DIED 5 DAYS LATER AS A RESULT OF HIS INJURIES.

Keywords: BURN, CLOTHING, ELECTRIC ARC, E GI III, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRICIAN, PANELBOARD, ELECTRICAL FAULT, UNTRAINED, EQUIPMENT APPROVAL