Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310200118 - S R Bray Corp Dba Power Plus

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:08 a.m. on January 10, 2008, Employee #1, an installer with five years of experience with a large electrical contractor, was repositioning a power line at the top of a temporary power pole. Originally, Employee #1 and a coworker were assigned to relocate power poles at the job site. Then, then the onsite contractor told them that the power line was lying on the ground and needed to be repositioned atop the temporary power pole. The two employees examined the pole and asked if the pole had been struck, to which they were told it had not. They also shook the pole, a test to ensure that the pole was still secure. Employee #1 then secured a fiberglass extension ladder with a bracket to the power pole and ascended. Once at the top of the ladder, Employee #1 further secured the ladder to the top of the pole. He was pulling the power line when he heard a series of cracking noises, which he recognized as the pole failing. The pole fractured below ground and overturned. Employee #1 fell approximately 20 ft to the ground and suffered crushed vertebrae. He was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for four days. Subsequent examination of the pole showed the fracture occurred at the same spot as a 1 1/2 in. diameter knot on the pole. Employee #1 coworker witnessed the accident.

Keywords: FRACTURE, POWER LINE WORKER, ELECTRICIAN, CONSTRUCTION, BACK, ELEC UTILITY WORK, UTILITY POLE, VERTEBRA, OVERTURN