Inspection Detail

Inspection: 104608138 - Sierra Pacific Power Co

Inspection Information - Office: Nv-E-Reno 0953210

Investigation Summary

AN EMPLOYEE WAS WORKING ON A UTILITY POLE REPLACING A TRANSFORMER AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY ANOTHER LINE WORKER. AS A LIGHTNING ROD WAS BEING HOISTED UP TO THE OTHER LINE WORKER, THE FIRST EMPLOYEE DECIDED THAT THE OTHER LINE WORKER NEEDED HELP AND ATTEMPTED TO REPOSITION HIMSELF. HE TRIED TO PASS BETWEEN A 4-FOOT SPAN SEPARATING THE NEUTRAL LINE AND THE 14-KILOVOLT PHASE CONDUCTOR. THE EMPLOYEE STRUCK HIS HARD HAT ON AN UNKNOWN OBJECT, AND THE HARD HAT FELL FROM HIS HEAD. HE ATTEMPTED TO CATCH HIS HARD HAT WITH HIS RIGHT HAND, BUT INSTEAD CONTACTED THE 14-KILOVOLT LINE, CAUSING AN ELECTRIC SHOCK TO HIS RIGHT HAND. THE CURRENT EXITED VIA HIS RIGHT FOOT. THE EMPLOYEE HAD MAINTAINED A 3-FOOT CLEARANCE BEFORE REPOSITIONING HIMSELF. THE LINES HAD NOT BEEN BLANKETED, BUT THE WORKERS WERE WEARING HARD HATS AND LEATHER WORK GLOVES.

Keywords: ELEC PROTECT EQUIP, HARD HAT, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC SHOCK, UTILITY POLE