To download a PDF from Safety Watch for sharing or printing, click here to download a PDF in Spanish, click here. The accident was a crew member installing anchors in preparation for positioning the service shaft, using a boom truck with a drill. Each anchor is attached to the auger with a coupling tool, which then uses the auger motor to rotate the anchor and anchor it to the ground. The anchor began to vibrate during the setup process, and a crew member continued to hold the anchor, unaware that the boom had touched a 7200 volt overhead power line. The anchor was activated, electrocuting the operator. He was pronounced dead as a result of electrocution in the hospital. Conclusion An investigation after the accident found that the crew member was not a regular employee, but was part of a work liberalization program and had not received any formal training in the facility construction industry. On-the-job training was provided, but as a member of the work release program, the worker was not available for regularly scheduled safety training meetings. In addition, the anchor was a replacement anchor that was longer than the other anchors used in the project by more than two feet. When the crew attempted to install the anchor, the extra length caused it to enter the ground at a difficult angle, wobbling the employee’s push to try to install the anchor, as well as creating a removal problem with the overhead power line. Unnecessary mistakes Working around electrics without proper training, as one crew member did, can be a fatal mistake. Without proper training, you will not have the tools to recognize job site hazards. Multiply the error with the use of the taller anchor – a material that a job site survey couldn’t take into account. Although the 6-foot anchors have been approved by the competent person conducting the survey, once the 8-foot anchor is replaced, the survey is no longer applicable to this job site. Safe Steps Training – Attend all training sessions and background conversations to make sure you’re ready to start work. Awareness – ask about the specific risks the job site survey found, and what steps have been taken to mitigate the risks. You must remain in a safe area while unplugging the lines. Assessment – Before starting work, walk the site and research electrical hazards such as overhead power lines. Even if the power is cut off from the line, stay away. If you are working around them, always keep an eye out for how far your equipment is from these lines, particularly when extending the boom. If substitute material is brought onto the job site, stop and evaluate the changes that need to be made before continuing the work. If there are problems with decontamination or other hazards arise, do not continue to work until the risk is mitigated.
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