Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313385551 - Southern California Edison

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At around 7:22 a.m. on November 3, 2011, Employee #1 was working as a line worker, and Employee #2 was working as an apparatus technician. Both were employed by the electric utility Southern California Edison. The firm generated and distributed electric power. It had over 10,000 employees. Employee #1 had been working there for 8 years, 8 months in his current job title. Employee #2 had been working there for 3 years in his current job title. At the time of the accident, they were performing a regularly assigned task of removing a line conductor to isolate a circuit at an unmanned substation. The conductor was one of a set of line conductors energized at 16,000 volts. The conductors were ultimately connected to a potential transformer as three-phase conductors running in an underground conduit. Employees #1 and #2 were to perform two tasks. First, they were to ensure that there was no load on the transformer conductors. Then, they were to remove the connecting conductors from the line conductors. Employees #1 and #2 were working from the bucket of an elevated aerial lift. Employee #1 checked the connecting conductors with an inductive ammeter. It indicated that there was no load on the conductors. Employee #2 removed one of the two clamps from the line conductor. Then, while Employee #2 held the conductor steady, Employee #1 began to remove the second clamp. The injured employees were working within proximity of a witness who was observing their activities. During this procedure, an electrical fault occurred in the area of the second clamp and the transformer conductor. The ensuing electric arc caused second- and third-degree burns to the face, neck, and arms of both employees. The injured employees were transported to the Saint Francis Medical Center and then to the Grossman Burn Center. Employee #1 was hospitalized at the burn center for 8 days, and Employee #2 was hospitalized at the burn center for 5 days. The Division conducted interviews of the injured employees, their supervisor foreman, and all members of the crew on site at the time of the injury. The investigation concluded that there was a possibility of a hazardous induced voltage buildup and that provisions to isolate or insulate the employees had not been made.

Keywords: BURN, ELECTRIC ARC, OVERHEAD POWER LINE, ELECTRICAL, POWER LINE WORKER, LOCKOUT, E PTD, ELEC UTILITY WORK, ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR, ELECTRICAL FAULT