Inspection Detail

Inspection: 304264948 - Terry'S Electric, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Tampa Area Office

Investigation Summary

A local utility company hired an electrical contractor to install new streetlighting at the corner of a hazardous intersection. The job required installing one of the streetlights parallel to an existing 13.2-kilovolt (phase-to-phase) overhead power line. The ground worker installed the streetlighting hardware and supply cable on the pole, placed a synthetic nylon sling with a choker hitch around the pole, and attached the sling to the load line of a derrick truck. When the derrick lifted the pole to an upright position, the derrick's tilt-pole plumber arms grasped the shaft of the pole. The operator of the derrick truck swung the load around and began to set the pole in a 1.8-meter-deep hole. The ground worker was securing the cargo straps to the pole trailer as the derrick operator was setting the pole. When the butt end of the pole contacted the bottom of the hole, the pole spun the streetlight into the overhead line. The ground worker ran to the pole to try to prevent it from contacting the overhead line. He was electrocuted when he touched the supply cable on the pole. He had entry and exit wounds on his right hand and right heel.

Keywords: DERRICK TRUCK, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, ELECTROCUTED, STREETLIGHTING, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, UTILITY POLE