Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18344853 - Georgia Power Company

Inspection Information - Office: Atlanta East Area Office

Investigation Summary

AN ELECTRIC UTILITY CREW WAS INSTALLING A NEW POWER LINE FOR A CONVENIENCE STORE. TWO MEMBERS OF THE CREW WERE IN AERIAL LIFTS AT THE LAST OF THREE NEW POLES, AT THE FAR END FROM THE STORE. ANOTHER POWER LINE WORKER WAS CLIMBING THE MIDDLE POLE, WHICH WAS 105 FEET AWAY. THE TWO EMPLOYEES IN THE AERIAL LIFTS ASKED THE THIRD EMPLOYEE IF HE WANTED THEM TO GROUND THE NEW LINE. THE EMPLOYEE ON THE POLE RESPONDED THAT GROUNDING WAS NOT NEEDED SINCE HE WOULD WEAR HIS RUBBER GLOVES. THE GROUND MAN, WHO WAS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MIDDLE POLE, PASSED ARMOR RODS TO THE EMPLOYEE ON THE POLE, SO THAT THE POWER LINE WORKER COULD ATTACH THE CONDUCTOR TO THE POLE AND REMOVE THE ROLLER BLOCK. THE CONDUCTORS HAD BEEN PULLED BACK AND TAPED AT THE FIRST POLE (THE ONE NEAREST TO THE STORE), WHICH WAS 150 FEET AWAY FROM THE MIDDLE POLE. ONE OF THE CONDUCTORS PULLED AWAY FROM THE TAPE, FLIPPED AROUND, AND CONTACTED A 7200-VOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE. THE POWER LINE WORKER ON THE POLE, WHO WAS IN CONTACT WITH THIS CONDUCTOR, WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Keywords: ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR