Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313161820 - City Of Anahei Public Utilities

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On August 18, 2009, Employee #1 and other six electrical workers were putting a 12,000- volt three-phase automatic transfer station back into service after finishing emergency repairs. Employee #1 and a crew supervisor attempted to check the phases of the cables in a nearby automatic transfer station, before restoring power to the system. Using a phase locator, Avistar AP-10, mounted on a 5-ft long hot stick, Employee #1 attempted to begin reading the first bus bar by contacting the live bar with the phase locator probe. However, when he placed the phase locator in the station to contact the bus, there was a large arc flash. Employee #1 received flash burns on his face and hair. Employee #1 was taken to the burn unit at UCI Medical Center in Orange, California, where he was admitted for treatment for second degree burns. He was hospitalized.

Keywords: BURN, ELECTRIC ARC, HEAT, HAIR, ELECTRICIAN, LIVE-LINE TOOL, FACE