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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 1580911.015 - Tree Wise Men Llc
Inspection Information - Office: Madison Area Office
Site Address:
Tree Wise Men Llc
2010 West Broadway
Madison, WI 53713
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1083, Janesville, WI 53547
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:
NAICS: 561730/Landscaping Services
Inspection Type: Fat/Cat
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 03/01/2022
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 08/03/2022
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 1871086 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Current Violations | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Initial Penalty | $9,945 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $9,945 |
| Current Penalty | $9,945 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $9,945 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001A | Serious | 5A0001 | 07/14/2022 | 07/28/2022 | $9,945 | $5,801 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 2. | 01001B | Serious | 19100333 C03 | 07/14/2022 | 07/28/2022 | $0 | $4,144 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement |
Investigation Summary
At 1:50 p.m. on March 1, 2022, an employee was working for a landscaping service. He was working on the ground, collecting and cutting tree sections. A second employee was working as the operator of an aerial bucket lift. He was cutting tree sections to be lowered by a grapple knuckleboom crane, which was operated by a third employee. The crane was a truck-mounted PM-44 articulating boom crane, outfitted with a KRPAN 60-inch (1.5-meter) log grapple. The log grapple or hook had a sling attached for carrying the sections. The crane lowered the sections to the ground for the groundworker to collect and make further cuts. The sections being cut and lowered were over 30 feet (9.1 meters) in length. There were live (energized) overhead power lines nearby. A tree section being lowered struck the top phase conductor. The conductor broke and landed near where the employee on the ground was positioned. He was electrocuted. He was pronounced dead at the site. The event occurred outdoors, with fair weather and low wind speeds. Weather was most likely not a factor. Measurements were made or collected after the incident. From information provided by the electric utility and the employer, the overhead power line was energized at 69 kV. The uppermost phase conductor was approximately 48 feet (14.6 meters) above the ground. From the manual, the PM-44 articulating boom crane outfitted with a KRPAN 60-inch log grapple had a horizontal reach of 43 feet (13.1 meters) and a vertical reach of 54 feet 11 inches (16.7 meters). The employer provided a graph that showed a horizontal reach of 45 feet (13.7 meters) and a vertical reach of 55 feet (16.8 meters). From sales information, the aerial bucket lift had a 56-foot (17.1-meter) lift height. The distance from the tree line to the power lines was measured from on the ground. It was about 20 feet (6.1 meters). The employer said in a written response that there was a safe zone of 30 feet (9.1 meters) between any live conductor and the trees.
Keywords: Crane, Electric Shock, Electrocuted, Energized, Falling Object, Landscaper, Landscaping, Lift Bucket, Overhead Power Line, Power Lines, Protective Grounding, System Grounding, Tree, Tree Boom, Tree Trimming
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1580911.015 | 38 | M | Fatality | Laborers, except construction |