Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18056564 - Lambert Construction & Equipment Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Cincinnati Area Office

Investigation Summary

FIVE EMPLOYEES WERE WORKING IN A 12-FOOT-DEEP EXCAVATION THAT MEASURED 76 FEET BY 54 FEET. THE BOTTOM OF THE EXCAVATION WAS COVERED WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF PEA GRAVEL. THE EMPLOYEES HAD BEEN WORKING AT THIS SITE FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS. STARTING THAT MORNING AT ABOUT 8:00 AM, A CRANE HAD PLACED TWO 12,000-GALLON STORAGE TANKS (EACH WEIGHING 6000 POUNDS) AND TWO 20-FOOT-LONG, 1-FOOT-BY-1-FOOT CONCRETE ANCHORS INTO THE EXCAVATION. THE ANCHORS WERE NOT SITTING LOW ENOUGH, SO THE CRANE LIFTED THE ANCHOR ON THE NORTH END WHILE THE EMPLOYEES CLEARED EXCESS GRAVEL FROM BENEATH IT. THE CRANE OPERATOR WAS SETTING THE ANCHOR BACK DOWN, LOOKING AT THE EMPLOYEES, WHO WERE GUIDING HIM WITH HAND SIGNALS. AS HE WAS MOVING THE ANCHOR, THE OPERATOR BROUGHT THE BOOM UP INTO CONTACT WITH A 12-KILOVOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE. ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES ON THE GROUND WAS HOLDING ONTO TWO WIRE-ROPE SLINGS ATTACHED TO THE HOOK ON THE CRANE'S LOAD LINE. THIS EMPLOYEE WAS ELECTROCUTED WHEN THE CRANE BOOM CONTACTED THE POWER LINE.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, BOOM, CRANE BOOM, ELECTROCUTED, E C, CRANE