Inspection Detail

Inspection: 308017490 - Action Electrical Contractors Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

On December 6, 2008, Employee #1, an electrician, and Employee #2, a laborer, were completing a job at Fountain Green Elementary School that involved running a new 480 volt feeder for audiovisual and datalink equipment. To complete the task, the circuit ground lug had to be tightened. The workers removed the cover from an energized 90 in. high by 33 in. wide three-phase, four-wire 480 volts, 1,200 amp. capacity Siemens panel box (manufactured in December 1992, catalog number FC-I, U/L number C 552790). Employee #1 was tightening the ground lug when an arc flash occurred. He suffered second- and third-degree burns over his face, neck, arms, and hands, for which he was hospitalized. Employee #2 sustained much less serious burns over similar parts of his body; he was transported to the hospital, where he was treated and released. The chief custodian of the school and the president of the company acknowledged that it would have been feasible, albeit difficult, to have de-energized the panel during this operation. No written procedures for locking it out were in place. Sleeves were available, but the employees were not wearing them during the procedure. The employees had not been provided with goggles, face shields, or gloves that would have lessened the severity of their injuries.

Keywords: BURN, ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, ELECTRIC ARC, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, LOCKOUT, ELEC CIRC PART--MISC, ELECTRICAL BOX, FACE