OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14565352
HEGEMANN ELECTRIC INC
TUCSON, AZ—
Event description
BURN - ELECTRICAL FAULT IN SWITCHBOARD
Investigation abstract
Two employees were installing new compression-type connectors on conductors on t have attempted to remove them while employee #2 was installing the connectors an d, in the process, may have accidentally struck the uninsulated portion of the c ircuit on the energized side. Both employees received second- and third-degree b urns from the ensuing electric arc and were hospitalized. he load side of an electrical switchboard. The switchboard contained a three-pha se circuit operating at 480 volts (277 volts to ground), 1200 amperes. The fuses for the circuit had been removed, deenergizing the load side of the circuit. Em ployee #2 was tightening one of the connectors when the supply side of the circu it faulted to ground or from one phase to another. (Employee #1 was standing bes ide employee #2, in front of the switchboard.) No defects that could have caused the fault were found in the switchboard. A pair of pliers and a screwdriver wer e lying in the bottom of the switchboard. It was theorized that employee #1 may
Victims (2)
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 24 M
- Nature of injury
- 5
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 575
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
-
#2 Hospitalized Age 47 M
- Nature of injury
- 5
- Part of body
- 19
- Event type
- 14
- Source
- 15
- Occupation code
- 575
- Human factor
- 1
- Environmental factor
- 18
- Task assigned
- 1
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