Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14892699 - Peoples Electric Company

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

TWO LARGE ELECTRIC TRANSFORMERS AT A HIGH SCHOOL HAD BEEN REPLACED IN THE SUMMER OF 1984, BECAUSE THE FORMER ONES WERE CONTAMINATED WITH PCB. THE HIGH VOLTAGE CABLE BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH TRANSFORMERS HAD BEEN CHANGED ON DECEMBER 2, 1984. BECAUSE ELECTRIC BALLASTS AND OTHER ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT IN THIS SCHOOL WERE BURNING OUT, THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMPANY WAS CALLED TO INVESTIGATE. THE UTILITY COMPANY MEASURED THE SECONDARY VOLTAGE TO BE BETWEEN 126 AND 129 VOLTS, AND THIS HIGHER THAN NORMAL VOLTAGE WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE GENERAL FOREMAN OF AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING COMPANY ARRIVED ON DECEMBER 5 TO CHANGE THE TAPS IN THE NORTH TRANSFORMER. HE ARRIVED AROUND 6:30 AM. THE MAIN DISCONNECT FOR THIS TRANSFORMER WAS OPENED AND THE LOW VOLTAGE DISCONNECT WAS ALSO OPENED. THE PANEL OVER THE TAPS WAS REMOVED, AND THE FOREMAN CHANGED THE TAPS TO A DIFFERENT POSITION TO LOWER THE VOLTAGE. THE POWER WAS RESTORED. A CUSTODIAL ENGINEER WAS HOLDING A LIGHT FOR THE FOREMAN. WHEN THE POWER WAS RESTORED, THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM WAS ACITVATED. THIS WAS NORMAL. THE CUSTODIAL ENGINEER WENT TO THE OFFICE TO SHUT OFF THE FIRE ALARM. A SUPERVISOR ARRIVED FOR WORK AROUND 6:55 AM. HE MET THE CUSTODIAL ENGINEER IN THE HALLWAY. BOTH MEN WENT TO THE NORTH TRANSFORMER ROOM AND FOUND THE FOREMAN LYING INSIDE THE METAL ENCLOSURE, NEAR THE SOUTH END, WHERE HE HAD CHANGED THE TRANSFORMER TAPS. HE WAS SEMI-CONSCIOUS. HE LATER DIED.

Keywords: ELECTRICAL, E GI VII, ELECTROCUTED, ELECTRICAL WORK, TRANSFORMER