Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311661094 - Centerpoint Energy Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Houston North Area Office

Investigation Summary

On January 7, 2008, Employee #1, a journeyman lineman, was working as part of a four-man crew to replace a burned-out, pole-mounted transformer. The pole was inaccessible by truck because of its proximity to an industrial strip center on its south side and a drainage ditch, with a slope of approximately 12 degrees, on its north side. The pole was located approximately 253 feet east of a hard-surface parking lot. The crew determined that they would replace the transformer manually, using a jib, blocks, and generator-powered electric cathead. The crew had difficulty lowering the old transformer to the ground because the industrial strip center, located 66 inches south of the pole, prevented a good angle on the tag lines. However, they did successfully remove the old transformer. Because of the difficulty they had experienced in removing the old transformer, the crew decided that they would raise the new transformer to the level of the roof and then throw the tag lines onto the roof. The crew thought this would result in a better tag line angle, which would allow them to pull the transformer away from the pole and facilitate positioning and bolting it into place. The cathead was used to raise the transformer to the level of the roof, and Employee #1 threw his tag line onto the roof. Employee #1 and a helper then walked over to a ladder, which was erected approximately 240 feet west of the pole. They climbed the ladder and walked east across the 1 to 12 pitch metal roof of the industrial strip center building. The helper walked east along the edge of the building, while Employee #1 walked southeast, approximately 50 feet. Employee #1 stepped onto a fiberglass skylight and fell approximately 17 feet to the concrete floor of the shop. Employee #1 was killed and declared dead at the scene.

Keywords: SKYLIGHT, ROOF, UNSTABLE SURFACE, ELEC UTILITY WORK, FALL, TRANSFORMER