Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305571218 - Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

Inspection Information - Office: Va-E-Verona (Field Office) - Safety 0355116

Investigation Summary

A two-person power line crew was switching auger bits on a digger-derrick. The employees had parked the truck beneath a 7200-volt, three-phase overhead power line. The area had had about 50 millimeters of rain in the past 2 days. The crew had swapped auger bits and was hoisting the larger auger back into the carrying cradle on the left side of the truck body when the tip of the boom contacted the power line. The boom operator immediately lowered the boom free of the power line. The employee working on the ground had been standing clear of the truck at the moment of contact. The boom operator could not see his coworker, so he jumped clear of the truck bed and ran to his partner. The ground worker initially stated that he was fine, but he appeared to be in shock. Apparently, he had received an electric shock from potential gradients in the earth. His condition rapidly deteriorated, and he went into cardiac arrest. The boom operator immediately began administering cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Emergency medical services arrived shortly afterwards. There efforts to save the injured employee were to no avail, however; he died of electrocution.

Keywords: DIGGER-DERRICK, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, BOOM, POWER LINE WORKER, POTENTIAL GRADIENT, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK