Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125852582 - Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

A power line crew was working on a utility pole maintenance project, straightening a series of poles along a roadway. The employees would position the electrical line truck alongside the roadway, next to a pole. They would set the outriggers on the truck and, using the boom, push the pole back into a vertical position. Next, they would place a wooden brace in the ground across the front of the pole and compact the ground around the pole. When this was done, they would remove the boom from the pole, raise the outriggers, and move to the next pole. The crew was finishing work on the fifth pole of the morning. When the crew had arrived at this pole, they had held a briefing to discuss the lateral overhead line going from the pole to a farm across the street. As they were straightening the pole, an observer watched the power line to make sure that it was not overly tightened. As the work was being finished, the employees were putting away tools and getting ready for lunch. The boom operator was out of the truck, helping to put tools away. When he finished, he stood at the back of the truck and raised the outriggers without first storing the boom. This caused the truck to lean over and the boom to push the pole further away. The lateral power line tightened too much, and one of the phase conductors broke loose from across the street. The conductor fell across the shoulder and back of the boom operator, electrocuting him.

Keywords: BOOM TRUCK, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, ELECTROCUTED, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, UTILITY POLE, INATTENTION