Inspection Detail

Inspection: 115531667 - Pend Oreille County Pud

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

Investigation Summary

TWO POWER LINE WORKERS WERE ASSIGNED TO TROUBLESHOOT A POWER OUTAGE IN A RURAL AREA. THE POWER OUTAGE WAS CAUSED BY A SNOW STORM. THEY ARRIVED AT THE OVERHEAD POWER LINE AT THE FAR END AND DROVE DOWN THE LINE TO LOOK FOR THE CAUSE OF THE OUTAGE. THEY FOUND THAT A TREE HAD BROUGHT DOWN A PHASE CONDUCTOR. THE CREW REMOVED THE TREE AND STRAIGHTENED OUT THE CONDUCTOR TO THE NEXT UTILITY POLE, WHERE IT HAD BROKEN. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES CLIMBED THE POLE AND TIED OFF ABOVE THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR. THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR WAS LOCATED 32 INCHES BELOW THE PHASE CONDUCTOR, AND A GUY (WHICH RAN ACROSS THE STREET) HAD BEEN INSTALLED BETWEEN THEM. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON THE GROUND, SPLICING NEW CONDUCTOR ONTO THE BROKEN ONE. BASED ON INVESTIGATION PERFORMED AFTER THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE EMPLOYEE ON THE POLE HAD HIS RIGHT HAND ON THE GUY AS HE REACHED UP WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND GRABBED THE PHASE CONDUCTOR TO PULL IT TOWARDS HIM. THE CONDUCTOR ALSO CONTACTED THE EMPLOYEE'S NECK AND LEFT EAR. HE RECEIVED AN ELECTRIC SHOCK AND WAS BURNED. HIS COWORKER PERFORMED POLE-TOP RESCUE AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. AS A RESULT OF THE BURNS, THE INJURED EMPLOYEE LOST THE LOWER PART OF AN EAR AND HAD A HOLE IN HIS NECK. AT THE HOSPITAL, HIS RIGHT ARM WAS REMOVED ABOVE THE ELBOW, AND HE HAD SURGERY ON HIS LEFT HAND. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR THESE INJURIES.

Keywords: BURN, ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, UTILITY POLE