Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315346973 - Par Electrical Contractors Inc

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:00 p.m. on October 1, 2012, Employee #1, of Par Electrical Contractors Inc., was working as a lineman, part of a four-person crew installing anti-climb guards on the lower parts of a transmission line tower's legs. He climbed to a position approximately 20 feet up on the southeast leg of the tower, ID Number 50003 32. He was about to attach his fall protection positioning system, but his feet slipped out from under him. He fell approximately 20 feet to the ground below. Employee #1 landed on his right side. He sustained a right wrist fracture and back fracture from the fall and a right wrist laceration injury from contact with the anti-climb guard. This project was part of the Sunrise Powerlink transmission line installation, where Par Electrical Contractors Inc. was contracted to install the high-voltage transmission line towers and cables for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). An employer representative for Par Electrical Contractors reported the accident to Cal/OSHA's San Diego District Office at 8:09 p.m. on October 1, 2012, which met the 8-hour reporting requirement for employer knowledge of the injury. This accident occurred on undeveloped private property near Japatul Valley Road and the Barrett Reservoir in the Descanso area. The employer identified the accident location as Tower Location EP-32. The injured employee was transported by ambulance and helicopter to Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, CA, where he was hospitalized and treated for over 24 hours.

Keywords: FRACTURE, INSTALLING, POWER LINE WORKER, CONSTRUCTION, BACK, ELEC UTILITY WORK, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, TOWER, WRIST