Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126184415 - La City Dwp

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

On June 3, 2002, Employee #1, of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, was in North Hollywood, working with Employee #2 on energized 4,800-volt conductors from a utility pole. The two employees were replacing crossarms and rerouting the conductors. Employee #1 was connecting spliced conductor onto the existing energized conductor. As he was making the connection, the conductor slipped out of his hand and struck him in the stomach. He tried to push the wire away and leaned back. When he leaned back, his left leg touched a guy, which was attached to the pole, resulting in an electric shock of 2,770 volts phase-to-ground which burned his leg. Employee #2, who was also on the pole, saw what happened and pulled the wire off of Employee #1. Employee #1 was able to climb down the pole to the ground, with assistance from Employee #2. The paramedics were called, and the Employee #1 was taken to Sherman Oaks Hospital. He was transferred to the Grossman Burn Center, for the burns to his leg, where he was hospitalized for four days for treatment and observation. He returned to the hospital within a week for a skin graft to his left lower leg and was hospitalized again for four to five days.

Keywords: BURN, POWER LINE WORKER, GUY, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR, ELECTRIC SHOCK, UTILITY POLE, LEG