Inspection Detail

Inspection: 115531485 - Grant County Pud #2

Inspection Information - Office: Dosh Spokane Service Location, Spokane, Wa

Investigation Summary

AN ELECTRIC UTILITY EMPLOYEE WAS ASSIGNED TO CONNECT A 4/0 ELECTRIC SERVICE ON A SINGLE-PHASE TRANSFORMER. HE WAS WORKING ALONE. THE EMPLOYEE INSTALLED THE SERVICE CONDUCTORS TO THE METER AND CONNECTED A JUMPER ACROSS THE TWO LINE CONDUCTORS SO THAT HE COULD CHECK THE CIRCUIT FOR CONTINUITY. HE THEN WENT TO A HAND HOLE AND SPLICED THE CONDUCTORS. HE PROCEEDED TO THE TRANSFORMER AND FOUND THE CORRECT CONDUCTORS BY CHECKING CONTINUITY. AFTER THE CONDUCTORS WERE IDENTIFIED, HE CONNECTED THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR TO ITS LUG AND THEN CONNECTED ONE OF THE LINE CONDUCTORS TO THE CENTER LUG ON THE TRANSFORMER. WHEN HE CONNECTED THE OTHER LINE CONDUCTOR, WHICH WAS STILL JUMPERED TO THE FIRST LINE CONDUCTOR, HE CREATED A LINE-TO-LINE ELECTRICAL FAULT. THIS CAUSED AN ELECTRIC ARC AND A FIRE. THE EMPLOYEE CONTACTED AN ENERGIZED PART ON THE TRANSFORMER AND WAS BURNED ON HIS RIGHT FOREARM.

Keywords: BURN, ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, ELECTRIC ARC, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, ELECTRICAL FAULT, TRANSFORMER