Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14609010 - Citizens Utilities Company

Inspection Information - Office: Arizona Division Of Occupational Safety And Health (Adosh)

Investigation Summary

A CREW OF THREE EMPLOYEES (A WORKING FOREMAN, AN APPRENTICE LINEMAN, AND A GROUNDMAN) WERE ASSIGNED TO INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL SERVICE TO A NEW HOME. THE SERVICE WAS TO BE TIED INTO AN EXISTING CONDUCTOR. A NEW UTILITY POLE HAD BEEN PLACED BETWEEN TWO EXISTING POLES WHERE THE NEW LINE WAS TO BE CONNECTED. THE EXISTING LINES WERE PULLED OUT OF THE WAY BY MEANS OF TAG LINES, AND THE TAG LINES WERE SECURED TO A SERVICE TRUCK. THE APPRENTICE AND THE FOREMAN CLIMBED THE 29-FOOT POLE TO SECURE A CONDUCTOR TO THE INSULATOR ON THE TOP OF THE POLE. HOT STICKS WERE USED TO PLACE THE 12-KILOVOLT CONDUCTOR ON THE INSULATOR. THE CONDUCTOR WAS SECURED USING A PREFORMED WRAPLOCK TIE. AS THE FOREMAN STARTED DOWN THE POLE, THE MOVEMENT OF THE POLE CAUSED THE CONDUCTOR TO COME OFF THE INSULATOR AND STRIKE THE APPRENTICE LINEMAN ACROSS THE BACK. THE GROUNDMAN ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE CONDUCTOR AWAY FROM THE LINEMAN WITH A TAG LINE. HOWEVER, THE TAG LINE BECAME FOULED, AND THE GROUNDMAN LOST CONTROL OF THE TAG LINE. THE CONDUCTOR CAME BACK TOWARD THE POLE AND STRUCK THE FOREMAN ACROSS THE BACK. THE GROUNDMAN AGAIN TOOK CONTROL OF THE TAG LINE, AND THIS TIME THE PHASE CONDUCTOR CONTACTED THE NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR, CAUSING THE FUSE ON THE MAIN LINE TO OPEN. THE MEN WERE REMOVED FROM THE POLE AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO A MEDICAL FACILITY. THE APPRENTICE LINEMAN HAD HIS RIGHT LEG AMPUTATED BECAUSE OF THE BURNS HE RECEIVED. THE FOREMAN WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR THE BURNS HE RECEIVED TO HIS RIGHT FOOT AND BACK.

Keywords: BURN, CLOTHING, AMPUTATED, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, UTILITY POLE