Inspection Detail

Inspection: 308200419 - Tipmont Remc

Inspection Information - Office: Indiana Department Of Labor

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:30 p.m. on May 13th, 2005, crews were finishing repairs for a relatively minor storm damage. Employee #1, a lineman, responded to an outage call and arrived at a three-phase breaker (oil circuit recloser (OCR) location). The assisting apprentice arrived in a separate vehicle shortly thereafter. Upon arrival, Employee #1 told the apprentice that the center phase was open. The apprentice remained at the OCR location while Employee #1 patrolled the line. At approximately one-half mile east of the breaker pole, Employee #1 found a downed field phase. Employee #1 called the apprentice by radio. He told the apprentice that he had arrived at the downed phase and instructed him to open (deenergize) the two outer phases. After the apprentice opened the two outer phases, he drove to the downed line location to begin assisting Employee #1 with ground man duties. Employee #1 maneuvered the bucket between the neutral and road/center phases, as the apprentice assembled materials to be hoisted to Employee #1. As the apprentice was looking down at his hoisting materials, Employee #1 made bodily contact with the energized center phase. The Apprentice looked up, as Employee #1 made contact. He saw a flash, and Employee #1 fall back into the bottom of the bucket. The apprentice immediately called emergency medical services (EMS) and contacted another crew in the area to request help. He then put on his rubber gloves. After considering the possibility that the bucket truck was energized, the apprentice boarded the bucket truck in the approved manner. He then began lowering the boom out of the primary area. Two journeyman linemen, who had been working on nearby storm damage, arrived in time to witness the apprentice jumping aboard the bucket truck. The three employees rushed to retrieve Employee #1 from the bucket and immediately began CPR, which was continued until EMS personnel arrival. Employee #1 was transported to St. Clare Hospital in Crawfordsville, IN, where he was pronounced dead at 12:20 a.m.

Keywords: BOOM TRUCK, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, CPR, ELECTROCUTED, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, AERIAL LIFT