Inspection Detail

Inspection: 308431667 - M.T. Kelley Electrical Service

Inspection Information - Office: Jacksonville Area Office

Investigation Summary

On June 5, 2005, Employee #1 was part of a crew that was replacing 12 wooden light poles with aluminum ones. He was operating an Asplundh aerial lift, model L45, that was attached to a 1974 Ford flatbed truck. Employee #1 was in the lift's bucket preparing to attach a 6 ft long by 3/4 in. thick wire rope cable to one of the wooden poles. The other end of the cable was attached with a D-ring to the front of the aerial lift's boom. Employee #1 was using the boom to attempt to pull the pole from the ground. As weight was applied to the D-ring, it failed and broke loose from the boom. This caused the boom and basket to lurch, ejecting Employee #1. He was able to hang on momentarily to the side of the bucket, but then he fell 18 to 20 ft to the ground and was killed. Subsequent investigation found that the pole being pulled was actually buried about 4 ft deep. The employer did not have an operator's manual for this aerial lift, and neither did the manufacturer. In fact, the manufacturer stated that the model L45 was manufactured in the 1960s and should have been removed from service years ago. Employee #1 was not using any form of fall protection at the time of the accident.

Keywords: ATTACHMENT HOOK, EJECTED, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, MECH MAT HANDLING, UTILITY POLE, AERIAL LIFT