Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313162307 - Diversifed Utility Services Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On September 22, 2009, two 4-men crews with a company that repairs, maintains, and services electrical power distribution lines were replacing an old electrical utility pole with a new one. This pole had both 12KV and 4KV transmission lines. They had cut the old pole at the bottom, moved it slightly, and secured the old pole to the new one. They had also transferred the 12KV lines on the top arm from the old pole to the new pole. Employee #1 (an apprentice lineman) and a coworker (a journeyman lineman) were elevated in a bucket working on the 4KV lines. They had already transferred and tied up 4KV phases A and C from the old pole to the new pole and were tying up phase B. They were using line hoses (guts) to cover the live transmission lines on both sides of the double cross-arm. The energized conductors (lines and the tie wires) on top of the cross-arm were not covered. There were sections (approximately 13 in. long) of energized 4KV conductors of all three phases uncovered between the pairs of insulators on the double cross-arm. The distance between the parallel phase lines was about 18 in. Employee #1 had slid back the line hose on phase B to uncover a long portion (approximately 10 in. long) of the line next to the cross arm to facilitate wrapping of tie wire to the phase line. While attempting to tie up phase B, Employee #1 contacted the uncovered phase B line with his right elbow and an uncovered phase A conductor on top of the cross-arm with his left elbow. He was electrocuted.

Keywords: BOOM TRUCK, ELECTRICIAN, ELECTROCUTED, LOCKOUT, INEXPERIENCE, ELBOW