Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201117512 - Employee electrocuted while working in crawl space

Accident Summary Nr: 201117512 -- Report ID: 0950643 -- Event Date: 09/04/2004
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
300827854	09/04/2004	1521	236118	Jesus Morales

Abstract: Employee #1, a handyman for a homeowner, was working on a metal conduit in a crawl space when he was electrocuted. He was found on his back by his brother on September 4, 2004, approximately three days after he had last been seen. A pair of wire cutters, a 50-volt to 500-volt tester, and tape were near the body. The conduit had two exposed power lines that were underneath Employee #1, but they were not energized. A test of the power lines showed that they may have been energized when Employee #1 was working on them, but it was unclear. His wire cutters were also poorly insulated. Employee #1 sometimes did not work when he was supposed to or worked a few hours a day. Neither his brother nor the owner of the house, who was building a small addition, knew he was working in the crawl space. Employee #1 may have tripped a breaker switch causing a short, or a member of the owner's family could have turned on the power for the circuit Employee #1 was working on, unaware that he was in the crawl space.

Keywords: INSULATED TOOL, WORK RULES, ELECTROCUTED, STRUCK AGAINST, CONSTRUCTION, ELECTRICAL WORK, CIRCUIT BREAKER, ELEC CIRC PART--MISC, COMMUNICATION, CRAWL SPACE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Single family or duplex dwelling		New project or new addition		Under $50,000	1		X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	300827854			Fatality	Electric Shock	Construction laborers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Interior plumbing, ducting, electrical work Fatality Cause: Electrocution by touching exposed wire/source

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