Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18490201 - B E & K Construction Company

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

On a Friday, some employees of a building contractor were beginning a shutdown operation at a paperboard plant. The contractor was going to replace old motor control centers and switchgear with new ones and were going to replace PCB-filled transformers with oil-filled ones. The contractor was also going to upgrade the electrical power system. This work necessitated the implementation of the company's lockout program. On the following Sunday, a switchgear circuit was deenergized, and an employee placed a lock and a tag on the circuit breaker controlling the switchgear. On Monday, three of the contractor's employees, including the one who had locked out the circuit, were to work on the switchgear. Assuming that the circuit was still deenergized, the three employees began working. Unfortunately, the circuit had been reenergized. When the employee who had locked out the circuit placed a Fluke 75 volt-ohm meter across the phase conductors, an electrical fault occurred. The ensuing electric arc injured all three workers. The employee who caused the fault was hospitalized for his injuries. (The original report did state the nature or degree of the injuries.)

Keywords: BURN, ELECTRIC ARC, E GI IV, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRICIAN, ELECTRICAL WORK, LOCKOUT, TEST EQUIPMENT, ELECTRICAL FAULT, SWITCHGEAR