Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1177810.015 - 70429 - Gregory Electric Company Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Sc Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:36 a.m. on August 25, 2016, Employee #1, his foreman and two coworkers were replacing a 30 foot wooden streetlight pole that had fallen. The pole held a 150 watt high pressure sodium security streetlight on a 3 foot arm. The pole mounted light was connected to a 120 volt number 4 solid aluminum duplex with a number 4 stranded aluminum neutral/messenger with a steel core overhead feed connected to a transformer approximately 119 feet away. Employee #1 was told by the foreman that the wire was live and that he needed special equipment. Employee #1 began to cut into the hot wire with insulated pliers, causing an arc, burning the head of the pliers. Employee #1 then proceeded to move the wire around the trees using his leather work gloves. He then moved the wire approximately 30 feet around other obstacles. Employee #1 moved closer to the new pole location and his leather gloves, soaked with sweat, made contact with the live wire that was damaged by his earlier attempt to cut into it. Employee #1 was shocked and landed face down with both hands wrapped around the live wire. Co-workers were able to cut the live wire, using proper PPE, to stop the electrocution and then proceeded to do CPR. Employee #1 was taken to the nearest hospital and died on September 6, 2016 of complications from the incident.

Keywords: Electrician, Electrocuted, PPE, Shock