Inspection Detail

Case Status: CLOSED

Inspection: 1418197.015 - Wood County Telephone Company

Inspection Information - Office: Madison Area Office

Inspection Nr: 1418197.015

Report ID: 0523300

Date Opened: 07/25/2019

Site Address:
Wood County Telephone Company
15th Street South
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 8045, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495

Union Status: Union

SIC:

NAICS: 517110/Wired Telecommunications Carriers

Inspection Type: Referral

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 09/10/2019

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 12/23/2019

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Referral	1478486	Yes

Case Status: CLOSED

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1					1
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$11,934	$0	$0	$0	$0	$11,934
Current Penalty	$10,144	$0	$0	$0	$0	$10,144
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001A	Serious	19100268 C	09/16/2019	12/31/2019	$10,144	$11,934	$0		I - Informal Settlement
2.	01001B	Serious	19100268 C01	09/16/2019	10/15/2019	$0	$0	$0		I - Informal Settlement	Citation has been deleted.

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 118325.015

Event: 07/20/2019

Employee is struck by tree and incurs paralysis and fracture

At approximately 4:45 p.m. on July 20, 2019, an employee and a coworker were removing tree brushes that had fallen onto pole-mounted coax cable for a telecommunications company clearing tree limbs and downed trees from pole-mounted coaxial cable following a severe weather event. The weather produced straight lines of approximately 90 mph that blew down trees and tree limbs throughout the city. The employee was using a chainsaw to remove tree branches from the canopy of a tree that had fallen onto the coax cable. The coworker was acting as a spotter and helper for the employee. The employee cut a branch that was partially supporting the tree canopy when the coworker saw the tree canopy start to shift and move. The coworker warned the employee, and the employee was struck across the back by the tree trunk portion of the canopy. The employee sustained paralysis from a severed spinal cord, a fractured pelvis, fractured shoulder, and multiple fractured vertebrae. The employee was hospitalized for these injuries.

Keywords: Chain Saw, Fracture, Paralysis, Pelvis, Shoulder Bone, Struck By, Telecom Work, Tree, Tree Care, Vertebra

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	1418197.015	38	M	Hospitalized injury		Telecomm: Line Installers And Repairers

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