Inspection Detail

Inspection: 621292 - Gordon L Mahoney

Inspection Information - Office: Charleston Area Office

Investigation Summary

A CONCRETE BUCKET SUSPENDED FROM A TRUCK CRANE WAS BEING USED TO POUR CONCRETE FOR A BREEZEWAY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE CRANE (A NATIONAL FOLDING TELESCOPIC BOOM STRUCTURE, MODEL 6T14H SERIES #6, SERIAL NUMBER 11660) WAS MOUNTED ON AN INTERNATIONAL TRUCK BODY (SERIAL NUMBER E2327JGA). AFTER THE POUR WAS COMPLETED, THE SOLE PROPRIETOR OF THE CONCRETE CONTRACTING COMPANY PERFORMING THE WORK WASHED OUT THE CONCRETE BUCKET. THE CRANE OPERATOR ASKED SOMEONE TO GET A PIECE OF PLYWOOD ON WHICH THE BUCKET COULD BE PLACED. AT THIS TIME THE 55-FOOT-LONG BOOM WAS AT A 62-DEGREE BOOM ANGLE AND AT A 28-FOOT WORKING RADIUS. THE BOOM WAS ALSO 10 FEET, 4 INCHES FROM A 7200-VOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE LOCATED 32.5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE CONTRACTOR DID NOT AWAIT THE PLYWOOD'S ARRIVAL. INSTEAD, HE CHOSE TO DRAG THE BUCKET TO A DRY AREA. IN DOING SO, HE PULLED THE CRANE'S LOAD LINE INTO (OR AT LEAST TOO CLOSE TO) THE OVERHEAD POWER LINE. THE CONTRACTOR WAS ELECTROCUTED.

Keywords: OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, E C, TRUCK CRANE, ELECTROCUTED, LOAD LINE, CRANE