Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18421412 - Sawyer Manufacturing Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Tennessee Osha Knoxville Office - Safety

Investigation Summary

FOUR EMPLOYEES WERE UNLOADING EQUIPMENT FROM A FLATBED TRUCK EQUIPPED WITH A HYDRAULIC, EXTENSIBLE BOOM. THE OUTRIGGERS FOR THE TRUCK CRANE HAD BEEN EXTENDED. TWO OF THE EMPLOYEES WERE STANDING ON THE TRUCK, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE STANDING ON THE GROUND AT THE REAR OF THE TRUCK TO GUIDE THE LOAD. THE OPERATOR, WHO WAS STANDING ON THE TRUCK, HAD RAISED THE BOOM AND WAS LOWERING THE LOAD WHEN A FIFTH EMPLOYEE, WALKING TOWARD THE TRUCK, WARNED THEM THAT THEY WERE TOO CLOSE TO A 13-KILOVOLT OVERHEAD POWER LINE. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS, THE LOAD LINE CONTACTED THE POWER LINE, ENERGIZING THE CRANE AND ITS ATTACHED LOAD. THE TWO EMPLOYEES ON THE TRUCK, AND THE EMPLOYEE WHO WARNED THEM ABOUT THE POWER LINE WERE UNINJURED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE OTHER TWO, WHO WERE HOLDING THE LOAD AT THE INSTANT OF CONTACT, RECEIVED ELECTRIC SHOCKS AND BURNS TO THEIR HANDS AND FEET. ONE OF THE TWO INJURED EMPLOYEES COMPLAINED OF DIFFICULTY IN SWALLOWING AND DIED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, EN ROUTE TO A HOSPITAL IN AN AMBULANCE. THE OTHER INJURED EMPLOYEE WAS TREATED AT THE HOSPITAL AND RELEASED, RETURNING TO WORK THE NEXT DAY.

Keywords: BURN, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, ELECTROCUTED, E GI IA, ELECTRIC SHOCK, LOAD LINE, CRANE