Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314301904 - Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Austin Area Office

Investigation Summary

Two power line workers were repairing a 7200-volt overhead power line that had been damaged by a storm. High winds from the storm took down a tree, and the falling tree broke the three phase conductors, which ran along a highway. After a job briefing, one of the two workers elevated himself in an aerial lift to cut the conductors at the cutouts on a utility pole. He discovered that the cutout for the middle phase was too close to the one on the eastern phase, and the second worker joined him in the aerial lift bucket to provide assistance. Both workers were wearing rubber insulating gloves without rubber insulating sleeves. The workers did not install any insulation on the phase conductors, jumpers, or cutouts. The aerial lift bucket was between the center and eastern-most phase conductors, and the conductors and cutouts were about chest high. After moving the cutout for the middle phase conductor, the employees hoisted all three phase conductors and the neutral, and then connected them. One of the power line workers unrolled the center phase jumper, which was energized, and connected it. Then, the two workers pulled on the eastern jumper to connect it. An electrical fault occurred, and both employees received electric shocks. The ensuing electric arc burned both workers. One of them collapsed into the bucket. The coworker also lost consciousness. The circuit recloser reenergized the line twice before deenergizing it. The first employee, was transported to a hospital, could not be revived, and was pronounced dead. The coworker was treated at a different hospital for electric shock and burns to both elbows. The employer had a full time safety director and provided training and personal protective equipment to qualified employees. A supervisor was on site at the time of the accident. (The original form did not list the nonfatally injured employee on an injury line.)

Keywords: BURN, ELECTRIC ARC, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, CUTOUT SWITCH, POWER LINE WORKER, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, ELECTRICAL FAULT