Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123290405 - Utility Lines Construction Services Incorporated

Inspection Information - Office: Bridgeport Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 19, 2003, Employee #1 and two other journeymen lineman were in the company's work yard, preparing to leave Connecticut for Maryland for storm duty coverage following Hurricane Isabel. They were clearing out equipment and materials from the belly of their utility truck, including a used electrical capacitor. Employee #1 got into the bucket of an aerial lift that had the controls for a winch, and, after one coworker secured the capacitor, he lifted it out of the truck. The third crew member sat in the truck throttling the engine because the throttle switch in the truck's rear was not working. Employee #1 placed the capacitor on the ground near a storage trailer. The coworker disconnected the winch and Employee #1 returned the bucket and winch to the cradle of the truck. The coworker then went to raise the two stabilizer legs on the driver's side using hydraulic controls on the rear driver's side of the truck. When that was done, the coworker moved to the stabilizer controls at the rear passenger's side to raise the two passenger side legs. After starting the process, he looked toward that side of the truck to ensure that nobody was in the way and saw Employee #1 lying, facedown, on the blacktop pavement. He yelled for help and coworkers came running. The coworker rolled Employee #1 onto his back to administer first aid. At the time, he was breathing and had a pulse. Employee #1 was transported to Norwalk Hospital, where he died.

Keywords: DERRICK TRUCK, POWER LINE WORKER, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, TRUCK, STRUCK BY