Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126079003 - So California Edison

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

Two power line workers were in a dual-bucket aerial lift, disconnecting three phase-conductor taps at the pothead connecting a riser to a 12-kilovolt overhead power line. Both employees were wearing Nomex shirts under Nomex coveralls and hard hats. The crew foreman was on the ground supervising the work. One employee in the aerial lift was using a Chance hot clamp to hold an energized tap that was being cut by his coworker with a Chance insulated cutter. When the employee cut the tap an electric arc occurred. The two employees lowered the aerial lift and discussed this with the crew foreman. The foreman called the substation and told them about the arcing. The substation paralleled the bank to help balance the load. The two power line workers got a rubber insulating blanket to place over the third tap to protect it in case there was an arc when they cut the second tap. They positioned the aerial lift and cut the second tap. There was no arc. They removed the rubber blanket and prepared to cut the third tap. Since there was no arcing on the second, they were not expecting an arc on the last one. When the employee cut the third tap, the pothead failed, causing an electric arc, which burned both employees. The employee using the insulated cutter was hospitalized at a burn center for 15 days with second- and third-degree burns on his face and neck. His coworker was treated for first-degree burns on his face and neck. (The coworker was not listed on an injury line on the original form.)

Keywords: BURN, ELECTRIC ARC, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, ELECTRIC CABLE, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRICAL FAULT, UTILITY POLE