OSHA issued a press release in late July detailing the safety issues that led to a lineman's fatal electrocution due to overhead power lines.
We emphasize in our electrical training course to stay at least ten feet away from overhead power lines unless you have confirmation from the power company that the lines have been de-energized.
If you work near power lines as a normal part of your job, it's easy to become complacent. After all, if nothing bad has happened for years, why would it now?
Sometimes it's sobering stories like these that can wake us up to the real risks.
From OSHA's release, here are the violations that led to this tragedy:
- Allowing employees to operate a digger truck within the minimum approach distance to non-insulated, energized 7,620-volt overhead power lines.
- Failing to designate an observer to supervise and warn employees working near energized and non-insulated overhead power lines before minimum approach distances were breached.
- Not ensuring protective equipment was in place to ground and insulate the area while employees worked near energized power lines.
- Failing to inspect the site and equipment to make certain employees did not approach overhead power lines and to ground all equipment before starting work.
Over $40,000 in fines were proposed for this incident.
You can read the whole press release here:
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