Kleen Energy explosion included “Citations …for failing to install & use electrical equipment in accordance with its listing and labeling.”  OSHA and the NEC (NFPA 70) which is law in most states require electrical equipment be used in accordance with its listing and labeling.  It is all to common to find citations on this even in new [...]

A General Electric employee and a Centerpoint Energy employee were injured in a shock incident inside their work truck.  There are rules in OSHA 1910.269 and the NESC about mobile equipment in proximity to power lines.  Many different things can happen in the work place.  Often we find human error is at play in these incidents.  We [...]

One of the things I have pointed out for years but most folks still don’t understand is that shocks (especially high voltage or high amerage shocks) often include an electric arc element.  In the old days, electrical contacts almost always had more burns associated with them than today (Not to minimize shock.  It kills far more [...]

DOE is one of the toughest on electrical safety.  Bechtel has a good rep too.  Shows improvements can happen anywhere and that programs can slip when training slips.
Click here to read the story about an arc flash in the Knoxville News Sentinel.

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“Officials probe accident where worker was burned
By JASON SCHREIBER
Union Leader Correspondent
Saturday, Jul. 3, 2010

CHESTER – Federal safety inspectors have begun investigating the circumstances surrounding Thursday’s accident that severely burned a man while he was working at a utility substation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to spend the next several weeks reviewing the accident at a New Hampshire Electric Co-op substation on Old Sandown Road.

Authorities said the victim, an employee of I.C. Reed and Sons Inc. of Raymond, was working from a bucket truck when he received a jolt of 7,200 volts of electricity to his shoulder. Fire Chief Richard Antoine said the worker’s shoulder “touched something that obviously it shouldn’t have” while he was working in the bucket and that the electricity entered through his shoulder and exited through his arm.

The shock left the victim with third-degree burns to his upper body, officials said. He was flown to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

While the victim’s condition wasn’t known yesterday, Antoine said he was told that he’s “doing very well.” Authorities have not identified the worker, citing privacy laws.

I.C. Reed and Sons, which has not returned calls, was subcontracted by New Hampshire Electric Co-op to perform work at the substation.

OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said the federal agency was immediately notified about the accident on Thursday and inspectors quickly arrived to begin their review.

“We need to determine which safety standards would apply and whether or not they were complied with,” Fitzgerald said.

OSHA inspectors have up to six months to complete their review, but Fitzgerald said they should done before then, adding that the investigation will likely take several weeks.

Seth Wheeler, spokesman for New Hampshire Electric Co-op, said he didn’t know the status of the work that was being done and whether it had been completed. He said the accident didn’t cause any prolonged outages for electric customers.”

According to the article this was probably an arc flash and they WERE wearing flame resistant (arc-rated) clothing.  Most likely these folks will live will little long terms effects.  When clothing doesn’t ignite workers are typically not hurt badly.  The NESC and OSHA 1910.269 apply here so they should be wearing arc-rated clothing and the [...]

A Hoschton, Ga., electrician died today after he was struck in the face by a live wire in front of a Martinez residence.

Workmen survey the scene Thursday after a co-worker was shocked by electricity. William Bret Ward, 45, was hit in the forehead by a live wire at about 10:30 a.m. while working on a ground transformer at a home on the 3900 block of Braddock Street, Columbia County Coroner Vernon Collins said.

“(He) was pulling a wire into it and apparently his head came in contact with the current, and it electrocuted him,” Collins said.

Ward, a worker with Utility Lines Construction Services Inc., was wearing protective gloves and rubber sleeves when the wire hit him, Collins said.

Ward’s co-workers performed CPR on him until Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue and EMS crews arrived at the scene.

“It was just too much for him,” Collins said.

Ward was pronounced dead at about 11:30 a.m. at Doctors Hospital.

Story updated a few minutes ago.  Two workers hurt in an arc flash. One with possible inhalation.  Arc rated clothing dramatically reduce these injuries.  Cotton clothing, if it ignites usually kills the worker.  These type of incidents are covered by OSHA 1910.269.  NSTAR is a leading company in arc flash safety.  The NESC and OSHA [...]

This incident is either a utility contractor or worker most likely.  Breaking news but not clear if the worker was shocked by some backfeed source or an energized line.  This type of work is covered under OSHA 1910.269 for law and the consensus standard is the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC). 
Click here to read the [...]

This is a fairly common scene in spring and fall.  Powerlines and ladders or powerwashers.  Workers MUST be trained when working near powerlines, even home lines.  This is even something which commonly kills homeowners unaware.
Click Here to Read the Story.

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