Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301994091 - Valley Electric Membership Corporation, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Baton Rouge Area Office

Investigation Summary

A power line crew was relocating overhead power lines that were in the way of a highway bridge under construction. The crew had set the new poles. One member of the crew, a power line worker with 21 years of experience, was in a digger-derrick-aerial lift, transferring conductors from an old pole to a new one. The conductors became entangled with the controls for the boom, and the operator (a coworker) lost control of the boom. The boom raised and lowered repeatedly and then rotated to the right, jamming the aerial lift bucket into the pole. The power line worker was ejected and fell 7.6 meters, landing in the back of the truck. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where he died of his injuries 8 hours after the accident. Body harnesses were available, but were not being used despite posted warning signs and instructions to use a harness.

Keywords: EJECTED, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, POWER LINE WORKER, FOULED LINE, ELEC UTILITY WORK, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, AERIAL LIFT CONTROLS, AERIAL LIFT

Inspection: 301827531 - Florida Power & Light

Inspection Information - Office: Fort Lauderdale Area Office

Investigation Summary

A power line worker was working from an aerial lift, moving a line that ran beside a utility pole. The bucket swung unexpectedly, and the employee fell about 3.7 meters. He died of his injuries.

Keywords: ELEC UTILITY WORK, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, AERIAL LIFT

Inspection: 127350080 - Powell Valley Electric Cooperative

Inspection Information - Office: Tennessee Osha Gray Office - Safety

Investigation Summary

A steel utility pole struck an aerial lift. This caused the aerial lift bucket to detach from the boom, allowing the power line worker in the bucket to fall 19.8 meters to his death.

Keywords: POWER LINE WORKER, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, ELEC UTILITY WORK, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, STRUCK BY, UTILITY POLE, AERIAL LIFT