Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200210771 - Employee killed after gas line explodes when struck

Accident Summary Nr: 200210771 -- Report ID: 0626000 -- Event Date: 11/30/2000
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
303682348	12/01/2000	1623	0	Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc.

Abstract: On November 30, 2000, Employee #1 was operating a Rock Wheel attached to front-end loader Number 760. The employee was tasked with digging with the Rock Wheel to a depth of two feet. The Rock Wheel struck a 20-inch (outside diameter) by 0.25-in. thick utility pipe about 20 inches below the surface. The gas line exploded with a massive force blowing the operator more than 200 feet from the point of impact. Employee #1 was killed. The investigation revealed that the employer had attempted to have the company that had installed the gas pipeline identify where the gas line was located. The employer began digging cautiously before the accident and before the pipeline was located.

Keywords: EXCAVATION, FRONT END LOADER, TELECOM WORK, MACHINIST, WORK RULES, CONSTRUCTION, NATURAL GAS, EXPLOSION, STRUCK BY, UNTRAINED

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Powerline, transmission line		New project or new addition		Under $50,000			X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	303682348			Fatality	Other	Grader, dozer and scraper operators	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Site grading and rock removal Fatality Cause: Fire/explosion

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