Inspection Detail

Inspection: 316669423 - United Launch Alliance Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:00 a.m. on March 9, 2013, two employees were working as electricians and service technicians for United Launch Alliance LLC, an aerospace concern at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. The firm had a facility there at which it provided launch service to DOD, NASA, the Air Force, and so forth. One of the injured employees had worked for the company for 18 years, and the other had worked for the company for two months. They were performing their daily duties, servicing the electrical substation with the installation of wiring for a relay system. At the time of the incident, the two employees were performing service work in an electrical cabinet with exposed three-phase electrical busbars energized at 480 volts. The cabinet was in Substation 8 in Building SLC6. They were not wearing insulated clothing or using any sort of barrier. They were installing wiring for control relays. They were working with the site engineer. Some object came into contact with the exposed energized busbars. The phase-to-phase connection resulted in an arc flash. The two employees were transported to Grossman Burn Center for treatment. The Division was notified of the accident at 11:41 a.m. on March 9, 2013, by United Launch Alliances LLC. It initiated an inspection on April 4, 2013. Interviews were conducted of the employees, their supervisor, a witness, and the company's management. None of the elements (1) through (7) of the CCR Title 8 Sec: 2320.2(a) were in place at the time of accident. As a result, the Division issued General citation to the employer according to CCR Title 8 Sec: 2340.2(a), due to lack of evidence of employer knowledge.

Keywords: BURN, E GI II, ELECTRIC ARC, ELECTRICAL, PPE, ELECTRICIAN, BUSBAR, ELECTRICAL WORK, ELECTRICAL CABINET, ELECTRICAL FAULT