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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 310063912 - Mch Electric Inc.
Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office
Site Address:
Mch Electric Inc.
Niles Blvd Near Kraftile Rd
Fremont, CA 94536
Mailing Address:
31084 S Highway 33, Tracy, CA 95304
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:1731
NAICS: 238210/Electrical Contractors
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 08/18/2008
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 04/13/2009
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 361610876 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 5 | 5 | 10 | |||
| Current Violations | 5 | 5 | 10 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $41,850 | $0 | $0 | $7,100 | $0 | $48,950 |
| Current Penalty | $19,800 | $0 | $0 | $6,063 | $0 | $25,863 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Other | 342 A | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 2. | 01002 | Other | 1509 A | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $625 | $1,000 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 3. | 01003 | Other | 1509 B | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $188 | $300 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 4. | 01004 | Other | 14300029 A | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $125 | $400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 5. | 01005 | Other | 14300033 A | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $125 | $400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 6. | 02001 | Serious | 2940 B | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $2,250 | $5,400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 7. | 03001 | Serious | 2940 C | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $2,250 | $5,400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 8. | 04001 | Serious | 2940 D | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $2,250 | $5,400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 9. | 05001 | Serious | 29400006 A01 | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $2,250 | $5,400 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 10. | 06001 | Serious | 2943 G | 09/09/2008 | 09/27/2008 | $10,800 | $20,250 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement |
Investigation Summary
On May 13, 2008, Employee #1, who was a foreman, attempted to perform cable splicing in an underground electrical vault, which contained a Trayer submersible vacuum switchgear that had conductors energized at 12,000 volts. The vault was located at a residential construction site in Fremont, California. According to Employee #1, who was the only witness on the day of the accident, his immediate supervisor told him to connect cables to the switchgear; therefore, he went to the switchgear to do the requested work. Employee #1 opened the lid to the vault at approximately 8:30 a.m. Employee #1 placed a ladder into the vault to descend into the vault. Employee #1 stood on the top of the switchgear and Employee #1 did not notice any vibration or noise coming from the switchgear. This contributed to Employee #1 believing the switchgear was not energized. Employee #1 proceeded to remove three candle elbows for terminal conductor points or bushings on the switchgear so that Employee #1 could begin connecting cables to the switchgear. When Employee #1 removed the third or last candle elbow, an electrical flash or large ball of light occurred. The flash generated a loud bang. Employee #1 felt a substantial amount of pain. Employee #1 tried to ascend the nearby ladder to get out of the underground vault. Employee #2, who heard the loud bang, went to help Employee #1 get out of the underground vault. Employee #3 called for emergency assistance. The gloves worn by Employee #1 had holes/tears from the electricity that entered/exited Employee #1's hands. The gloves were Tool Handz PLUS Reinforced Snug-Fitting types. On the day of the accident, the weather was sunny. There was no water in the underground vault. Employee #1 did not receive electrical safety training dealing with high voltage equipment. Employee #1 is not certified as an electrician/electrical trainee in the state of California. Employee #1 had never used any voltage testing equipment to determine if conductors/equipment are energized. According to Pacific Gas and Electric, which owns the switchgear, the accident resulted in 182 customers losing power. After the accident, Employee #1 was admitted to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, California, but was later admitted to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. Employee #1 was admitted to both hospitals on May 13, 2008. Employee #1 suffered third and second degree burns to hands, and first degree burns to entire surface of the face to the neck. Employee #1 also suffered temporary loss of hair on his head and face. The employer failed to provide any electrical safety training records for Employee #1 after the employer was given a request for safety training records. The cause of the accident was Employee #1 performed electrical work on energized equipment/switchgear without using proper safety controls for energized equipment. These controls include using voltage testing equipment before performing electrical work to determine if equipment was energized, having only a qualified electrical worker perform work on high voltage equipment, wearing safety gloves that are rated for voltage that may be encountered, and following proper de-energizing provisions for work on high voltage equipment.
Keywords: BURN, ELECTRICAL VAULT, ELECTRICAL TESTING, ELECTROCUTED, ELECTRIC SHOCK, NECK, FACE, UNTRAINED, HAND
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 310063912 | Hospitalized injury | Electric Shock | Electricians |