Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126091032 - Basic Electric

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on August 29, 2002, Employee #1 and a coworker were at a set of electrical distribution panels located in the back of a store. Employee #1 was at the load distribution center, pulling sub-feed wires from the distribution panel to the unit disconnects while he coworker was inside the store. Employee #1 was going to test the load side of the breakers to make sure they were de-energized but first had to check his meter, an Ideal wiggins tester, which was capable of measuring up to 600 volts. He tested his wiggins by placing one lead on the ground bar and the other lead on the 277-volt line side. As he did this, the meter exploded. He suffered flash burns on his hands, arms, and face. Coworkers helped him to the front of the store, where they poured water on him. Employee #1 was transported to UC-Irvine Hospital, where he was treated for six days for third-degree burns on his right thumb and the back of his left hand; second-degree burns on the fingers of both hands; first-degree burns on his face; and foreign matter in his left eye. The meximum voltage of the panel was 480 volts, below the capacity of the meter reader.

Keywords: BURN, CONSTRUCTION, ELECTRICAL WORK, TEST EQUIPMENT, EXPLOSION, ELEC CIRC PART--MISC, ELECTRICAL CABINET, ELECTRICAL FAULT, FACE, HAND