Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1360221 - Gulf States Utilities Co

Inspection Information - Office: Houston North Area Office

Investigation Summary

A POWER LINE CREW WAS MOVING AN EXISTING 7600-VOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE TO NEW POSITIONS ON POLES TO MAKE ROOM FOR A NEW OVERHEAD LINE. TWO LINEMEN WERE IN THE BUCKET OF A FORD AERIAL LIFT TRUCK BEING USED TO RAISE THEM TO THE WORK LOCATION. (BECAUSE THERE WAS A DITCH ON ONE SIDE OF THE POWER LINE AND A FENCE ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE TRUCK WAS PARKED PARALLEL TO AND UNDER THE POWER LINE. THE GROUNDING SYSTEM OF THE TRUCK, THOUGH IN GOOD CONDITION, WAS NOT USED.) ANOTHER EMPLOYEE, AN APPRENTICE LINEMAN, WAS ON THE GROUND AT THE REAR OF THE TRUCK UNDER THE BUCKET. AS THE LINEMAN RAISED THE ELBOW END OF THE BOOM, BEFORE RAISING THE BUCKET END, THE METAL OF THE ELBOW CONTACTED THE 7600-VOLT LINE, ENERGIZING THE TRUCK. THE APPRENTICE LINEMAN WAS TOUCHING THE TRUCK AT THAT TIME, AND THE CURRENT TRAVELED TO GROUND THROUGH HIM. THE EMPLOYEE WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, AERIAL LIFT, BOOM, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK