Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 200840684 - Electric Shock - Contact with Overhead Line thru Boom

Accident Summary Nr: 200840684 -- Report ID: 0524530 -- Event Date: 04/12/2001
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
303813315	04/13/2001	1731	0	Illinois Power Company

Abstract: A crew of four power line workers, two journeymen, one foreman, and one apprentice, was digging a hole to set a new utility pole for an existing 7200-volt overhead power line. Without protecting the power line from contact by the boom, the employees used the auger on a digger-derrick to dig the hole for the pole. After digging the hole, the auger was full of dirt and needed to be cleaned before it was stowed. One of the journeyman power line workers was using the controls on the side of the truck to operate the auger. He moved the auger about a half meter away from the newly dug hole to provide clearance for the apprentice to hand clean it. The apprentice used a metal-blade putty knife to scrape the dirt from the auger. The boom operator raised the auger to make it easier for the apprentice to reach the lower blade area. When the auger was approximately 610 millimeters above the ground, the boom contacted the power line, electrocuting the apprentice. He had not been wearing rubber insulating gloves while he was cleaning the auger. The digger-derrick had not been grounded.

Keywords: DIGGER-DERRICK, ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, PROTECTIVE GROUNDING, ELECTRICAL, BOOM, POWER LINE WORKER, ELECTROCUTED, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Highway, road, street		New project or new addition		Under $50,000		24	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	303813315			Fatality	Electric Shock	Electrical power installers and repairers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Installing equipment (HVAC and other) Fatality Cause: Electrocution by equipment contacting wire

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