Inspection Detail

Inspection: 3010055 - Duke Power Company - Greensboro District

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

AN EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ALONE ON A TROUBLE CALL AT A RESIDENCE. THE SERVICE DROP FROM THE HOUSE TO THE UTILITY POLE HAD SOME LIMBS ON IT, AND THIS HAD INTERRUPTED POWER TO THE HOUSE. THERE WERE 10 DWELLINGS ON THE DISTRIBUTION LINE FEEDING THE HOUSE. THE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER FOR THE LINE WAS 800 FEET FROM THE HOUSE, AROUND A CORNER. AFTER CLIMBING THE POLE, THE EMPLOYEE APPARENTLY DISCONNECTED THE 120-VOLT SERVICE DROP AND LOWERED IT TO REMOVE THE LIMBS. AFTER HE REMOVED THE LIMBS, HE WENT BACK UP THE POLE TO RECONNECT THE SERVICE DROP. AS HE WAS WORKING ON THE POLE, HE WAS ELECTROCUTED. NO ONE SAW THE ACCIDENT TAKE PLACE, BUT IT WOULD APPEAR FROM THE BURN MARKS THE EMPLOYEE RECEIVED THAT THE BARE END OF A CONDUCTOR CONTACTED THE EMPLOYEE ON THE WRIST. IT WAS ASSUMED THAT THE CONDUCTOR WENT DOWN INSIDE THE GLOVE, AS THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD SEEN HIM WEARING HIS GLOVES PREVIOUSLY. NO BLANKET HAD BEEN PLACED OVER THE CABLEVISION OR TELEPHONE CABLE THAT SHARED THE POLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE COMPANY STATED THAT THE EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING AT HIS NORMAL CLASSIFICATION FOR THE TIME OF DAY, BUT THE EMPLOYEE WAS CLASSIFIED AS A METER TECHNICIAN, NOT A LINEMAN.

Keywords: ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, UTILITY POLE