Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305951337 - Delmarva Power

Inspection Information - Office: Wilmington Area Office

Investigation Summary

On February 12, 2007, an employee was seriously burned when a 69 kV Oil Circuit Breaker suffered a catastrophic failure. It sprayed burning oil on an employee who was standing next to his work truck, getting ready to go to lunch. The crew working at the substation where the event occurred was not working on the breaker but was replacing wood covers on the ground at the substation. The employee suffered second and third degree burns on his legs. He was not wearing flame retardant clothing, although the task he was doing at the time would not have required it. The company's records show that the failed breaker had been thoroughly inspected in April, 2006 and that the oil had been replaced in November, 2006. The breaker had been installed in 1962. The April inspection was a very comprehensive inspection that occurred on a 10 year cycle. Other coworkers at the job at the time of the accident said that there was no warning when the failure occurred. They said that usually if a piece of equipment is bad, there will be an unusual noise. The employee was hospitalized and treated for burns

Keywords: BURN, ELECTRICIAN, FIRE, BREAKER PLATE, SMOKE, LEG