Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310058565 - Mountain Cascade, Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on March 30, 2007, an employee, a laborer was standing and waiting for the second street plate for the manhole in front of the fenced jobsite next to the truck entrance. Just ahead west of the employee, approximately 50 feet away, was an excavator and other laborers working on a 150-ft long, 9-ft deep joint trench. The operator was swinging the bucket of the excavator east to west to clear the dump truck when the top of the boom hit an overhead wire connecting one telephone pole to another telephone pole. When this happened, the wire pulled the southeast pole towards the street and the overhead power lines caused some arcing. The employee heard the snap of the pole and arcing of the wires directly above him and backed away to stay clear of the overhead lines. As a result, the employee tripped over a 6-in. curb and fell onto the gravel. The Fire Department responded to the scene. Three of the power lines had been broken. The employee sustained a fractured lower right leg, dislocated ankle and torn ligaments. He was transported to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he was admitted, had surgery, and then was released the following day.

Keywords: FRACTURE, LIGAMENT, SLIP, CONSTRUCTION, DISLOCATED, FALL, WORK SURFACE, ANKLE, LEG