Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126221894 - Comet Electric Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:45 a.m. on October 18, 2001, Employees #1 and #2 were working at a street construction site in Los Angeles. Employee #1 was operating a pneumatic jackhammer to break up the concrete pavement while Employee #2 was using a shovel to clear and remove the rubble. They were working from east to west along a street when they came upon a concrete block. They stopped briefly and inspected the surrounding area with a supervisor. He instructed them to continue moving in the same direction since the ground was not marked warning of power lines underneath. Employee #1 had resumed his work with the jackhammer when he struck a 34,000-volt underground power line, resulting in an explosion and fire. He was engulfed in flames and suffered second- and third-degree burns to his forearms, legs and face. Employee #2 was thrown backward and suffered a burn on his left arm and an unspecified electrical burn injury.

Keywords: BURN, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, FIRE, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, EXPLOSION, ARM, ELECTRICAL FAULT, UNDRGRD POWER LINE, WARNING SIGN