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Accident: 202544086 - Burn - Electrical Fault In Panel

Accident: 202544086 -- Report ID: 0950641 -- Event Date: 07/27/2012
InspectionOpen DateSICEstablishment Name
31486277208/01/20128221Uc Los Angeles
At 1:30 p.m. on Friday, July 27, 2012, Employee #1 was working as an electrician for the University of California at Los Angeles, or UCLA. He was at the ground floor of the old UCLA hospital building, which was being refurbished and repaired. Two days earlier, the same employee had connected cord sets, also known as extension cords, to an electrical panel to supply temporary power to a demolition crew. The panel had not been used for some time, since the hospital was not operational. At about 1:30 p.m. on that Friday, some electricians were assigned to reenergize the panel. One group of electricians was at an air station to turn power on to the panel, while two electricians were on the floor checking to see if the panel had been energized. Employee #1 was one of the electricians on the floor. He was using a Fluke tester to check on the uppermost left breaker. According to an eyewitness, Employee #1 inserted the probes of the tester into the breaker and had to move some of the wires out of the way. The eyewitness saw small sparks at the bottom of the panel followed by a flash fire and explosion. The witness was able to move away from the flash. According to Employee #1, he was not wearing hand gloves. When he inserted the probes, he saw the flash fire and explosion but he was unable to move fast enough to avoid the flash. He sustained burns on both arms and hands. Initially, the burns were deemed first- and second-degree burns. He was taken to UCLA's hospital. Over the weekend, the burns deteriorated to third-degree burns, and Employee #1 was taken to the Grossman Burn Center in West Hills. According to a report made by the employer, the two electricians removed the cover of the circuit breaker and then tested the panel to see if it was energized. Photos taken by the employer after the accident, however, showed the circuit breaker without a cover.
Keywords: burn, e gi ii, electric arc, protective clothing, electrical, ppe, electrician, ground fault, electrical cabinet, electrical fault
Employee # Inspection Age Sex Degree Nature Occupation
1 314862772 Hospitalized injury Burn/Scald(Heat) Electricians

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