Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310213624 - Advanced Roofing, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Fort Lauderdale Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on February 14, 2007, Employee #1, an apprentice electrician working under the supervision of a more experience licensed electrician, were rewiring and installing new light fixtures around the exterior of the Amtrak Rail Station. They were using a JLG aerial lift to test and install hanging soffit lights powered at 277 volts contained in four 20-amp circuits. The supervisor was performing the electrical work while Employee #1 was assisting and learning from him. At the time of the accident, the crew was testing an energized light fixture that had apparently been installed incorrectly. Employee #1 was in the bucket when he reached his left hand over the supervisor's line of vision and grabbed onto the building's metal girder while holding a wire stripper in the same hand. The supervisor suddenly noticed that Employee #1's body was hyperextended and shivering. He grabbed onto Employee #1, felt the shock of the electrical surge, and pulled him away from the beam. The supervisor tried unsuccessfully to revive Employee #1, who had been electrocuted. The company had provided personal arrest systems to the workers, although neither was using them. The crew working from the aerial lift was wearing hard hats and reflective safety vests. Neither was wearing a safety harness and they were not tied off to the aerial lift bucket.

Keywords: LIGHTING CIRCUIT, WORK RULES, ELECTROCUTED, LIGHTING FIXTURE, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, INEXPERIENCE, ELEC CIRC PART--MISC, HAND TOOL, AERIAL LIFT