Inspection Detail

Inspection: 2937951 - Nevada Power Company

Inspection Information - Office: Nv-E-Las Vegas 0953220

Investigation Summary

Two employees were transferring overhead power lines from one utility pole to another. The new pole was 45 feet high with 3-foot-wide crossarms. The existing poles on each side of the new one were 39 feet high with 8-foot-wide crossarms. The employees had to bring the conductor on which they were working inward 5 feet and raise it 6 feet. The two employees were working from an insulated aerial lift. Using hot sticks, they placed the energized power line in a temporary position on the crossarm. One of the workers put down his hot stick so that he could secure the conductor to the crossarm. The other employee, who was still holding the line with his hot stick, heard a loud thud. The conductor started shaking violently and came off the crossarm. It then struck the first employee on the shoulder. He received a fatal electric shock. It was believed that a guy was hit somewhere along the line, causing the conductor to shake off the crossarm. Additionally, the first section of the boom of the aerial lift was fully retracted. In this position, the aerial lift was not insulated. This allowed current to flow through the employee to the boom of the lift and to ground.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, UTILITY POLE, AERIAL LIFT