Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14867410 - State Highway Administration

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

SOME EMPLOYEES WERE USING A HYDRAULIC ARTICULATING BOOM TRUCK (AERIAL LIFT) WITH DOUBLE BUCKETS TO INSPECT A BRIDGE. THIS TRUCK WAS NOT INSULATED FOR WORK AROUND ENERGIZED LINES OR PARTS. THERE WERE ENERGIZED OVERHEAD POWER LINES NEXT TO THIS BRIDGE (25 KILOVOLT PHASE TO PHASE, 14.4 KILOVOLT PHASE TO GROUND). THE BOOM CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE POWER LINE, ENERGIZING THE TRUCK. OUTRIGGERS WERE NOT IN USE, AND THE TRUCK WAS NOT GROUNDED. THE EMPLOYEES WERE WEARING WIRE ROPE SAFETY LANYARDS. WHEN ONE EMPLOYEE STRUCK THE CONCRETE WITH HIS METAL HAMMER FOR A SOUND TEST, THE ELECTRIC CURRENT CAME THROUGH HIS SAFETY LANYARD AND SAFETY BELT, THROUGH HIS BODY, AND OUT HIS LEFT HAND, WHICH WAS HOLDING THE HAMMER. HE RECEIVED SECOND AND THIRD DEGREE BURNS ON HIS LEFT SIDE. NO TRAINING HAD BEEN GIVEN ON WORKING AROUND ELECTRIC LINES. THE BOOM TRUCK WAS A PAXTON MITCHELL SNOOPER, MODEL BBC, SERIAL NUMBER 2710, MOUNTED ON AN INTERNATIONAL FLEET STAR 2010A TRUCK.

Keywords: BURN, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, E GI IA, ELECTRIC SHOCK, AERIAL LIFT