Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: FALLING

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: (a) The hazard of electrical shock which could result in death or serious physical injury. On or about 07-17-98, an employee received a fatal electric shock when he contacted an energized cutout while working on a 7200 volt distribution system. The linemen were working on a utility pole amid exposed energized electrical equipment without benefit of a groundman/spotter to warn them of possibility of contacting live parts. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to ensure that groundmen watch linemen at all times when linemen are in reaching or falling distance of any energized conductor or object.