Electrical and Arc Flash Safety » OSHA Fines for Arc Flash Incident

Supervisor Fined $11K, ThyssenKrupp, Canada Fined $160K Following Arc Flash Incident

Hugh Hoagland — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:33:36 +0000

ThyssenKrupp Industrial Services Canada Inc., was fined $160K for a violation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act after a worker was injured. A supervisor was fined $11K. In 2009, a worker sustained serious electrical burns when a a bare conductor touched the side of of the electrical panel on which he was working. The Ministry of Labour found that the panel was not disconnected from the power source nor was it locked out and tagged before work started. In addition, a 25% victim fine surcharge was imposed which assists victims of crime.

Click here to read more about 160K fine for Arc Flash Incident

West Virginia Coal Miner In Critical Condition Following Electrical Incident Likely Arc Ignition of Clothing

Hugh Hoagland — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:13:22 +0000

The office of Mine Health Safety and Training reports that the 43 year-old miner came in contact with an energized electrical circuit at the Silver Oak Mine in Boone County. He suffered first, second and third degree burns on his upper body and is in critical but stable condition in a burn unit. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

This is most likely a tracking arc which ignited clothing. What if most worker clothing could be arc rated or flash fire rated? Many of the worst workplace injuries and fatalities would be prevented if clothing did not ignite.

Click here to read more about the West Virginia Coal Mine Electrical Incident

OSHA issues 6 citations and $378K fine following arc flash incident in wind farm tower

Hugh Hoagland — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:07:33 +0000

OSHA has issued six citations for willful safety violations and levied a $378K fine following an arc flash incident involving a wind farm technician. The company failed to ensure that those technicians that were working in wind farm towers affixed their own energy isolation devices ( personal lock and tag devices) on the ground-level turbine switch gear resulting in the possibility for others to energize transformers where technicians were working ~350 feet above ground. The injured employee suffered third-degree burns to his neck, chest and arms, and second-degree burns to the face when an arc flash occurred when the transformer was energized by another worker.

Click here to read more about Arc Flash incident

Minnesota business faces maximum of $374K OSHA fine following investigation of electrical incident

Hugh Hoagland — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:16:16 +0000

The company, which provides servicing and maintenance for the wind tower industry, was cited for “exposing maintenance technicians to electrical hazards from the unexpected energization of transformers in three wind turbine towers.” OSHA issued six citations for safety violations carrying up to $374K in fines, after a wind farm employee was severly burned in 2010. Most wind farms fall under both NESC and NFPA 70E.

Click here to read more about electical incident at wind farm

Rehabilitation of Apprentice Lineman Badly Burned in 2010 Maine Electric Incident

Hugh Hoagland — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:04:56 +0000

A 25 year-old apprentice lineman badly burned over 50% of his body in an electrical incident in October 2010 is continuing his rehabilitation. The lineman was operating a scissor lift at an electrical substation when electricity arced and touched the corner of the lift. The electricity traveled to the ground and back, resulting in severe burns. Without electrical safety equipment, it is speculated that the incident would have resulted in his death. OSHA has investigated and the company is conducting refresher safety training. Arc flashes resulting in >25% body burns usually means the clothing ignited or the arc tracked on the sweat on the body. If clothing ignition played a role, arc rated daily wear could have prevented most or all of the burns. No word of OSHA fines at this point but this is likely an arc flash. Most utilities are using arc rated daily wear. If it is provided, wear it. It makes all the difference in the world.

Click here to read more about Lineman’s Rehabilitation Following Electrical Incident

UK’s HSE Fines Essex Company £130,000 Following Arc Flash Incident That Severly Burned Worker

Hugh Hoagland — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:02:32 +0000

An Essex company has been fined £130,000 following the investigation of an electrical explosion that severely burned a worker in October, 2008 as he was investigating a fault with an energy meter when he disturbed a loose connection and a wire was exposed leading to an arc flash. The worker’s clothing caught fire and he sustained burns to his face, neck, chest, arms and hands. The victim spent 19 days in a specialty burn unit and underwent numerous surgeries. The investigation found that the company failed to maintain electrical systems in a way to protect workers.

The majority of the burn injuries in arc flash incidents can be either avoided or minimized by using proper PPE. Flame resistant clothing would have minimized the extent of injuries to this worker.

Click here to read more about the Arc Flash Incident in Essex

Oklahoma Arc Flash Fatality Incorrectly Called Shock by Claims Journal.

Hugh Hoagland — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:11:19 +0000

The claims journal reported on Oct. 15 the Oct. 12 incident in the MSHA report below but called this a shock when it is actually an arc flash. There could be shock involved but the amount of burn on the body indicates it is likely a clothing ignition from an arc flash.

Click here to read: Oklahoma electrical fatality mistaken as shock.

Click here to read our Arc Flash Training Blog report and the MSHA report.

Snyder, OK Arc Flash Fatality of Electrical Contractor in Martin Marietta Mine.

Hugh Hoagland — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 21:22:42 +0000

On October 10, 2010 three electrical contractor employees working at the Martin Marietta Mine in Snyder, OK were arc flashed installing ground fault indicator lights on a live 800 AMP breaker. From the MSHA report, all three workers were transported to the hospital and one died two days later. Most of the arc flash fatalities are from ignition of clothing in the arc flash. Companies should include the need for tested, arc rated clothing in the arc flash training portion of their electrical safety training. Written electrical safety programs require hazard assessment including arc flash hazards.

MSHA requires following NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. Most of these types of injuries and fatalities are avoidable.

Click here to see the MSHA incident report of an Arc Flash Fatality

Aberdeen Scotland Electrical Explosion (Arc Flash) Results in £9,000 Fine

Hugh Hoagland — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 19:22:40 +0000

" Building firm fined after electrical blast By Catriona Webster Published: 03/09/2010 An Aberdeen building firm was fined £9,000 yesterday after an employee was badly burned in an electrical explosion. Sheriff James Tierney ordered the owners of Graeme W. Cheyne (Builders) Ltd to pay an additional £4,000 in compensation to joiner George Forbes at a hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. The company, of Sugarhouse Lane, previously admitted health and safety failures that led to Mr Forbes, 62, handling a redundant electricity power supply device known as a fuse cut-out that was still live. Mr Forbes was working on a construction site at 238-242 Holburn Street on November 11, 2008, when he tried to remove the fuse cut-out to put up some plasterboard. The cut-out was connected to a 415-volt cable and Mr Forbes was badly burned when he touched it. He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he stayed for nine days and was treated for burns to his hand and face. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation revealed that the cable was twisted, causing a short-circuit that created enough energy to melt the cable and create a small explosion. Read more: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1900622?UserKey=#ixzz10ZRkPX1K"

PG&E Fined $176,000 over Utility Worker’s Fatal Electrocution

Hugh Hoagland — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:49:02 +0000

The California Department of Industrial Relations has levied a $176,000 fine on Pacific Gas & Electric following a review of a Cal-OSHA report that alleged lax enforcement of safety rules to protect employees following the electrocution death of a PG&E utility worker. The worker was upgrading a transformer in a vault that contained 12,000-volt power lines. The worker was unable to be revived and died at the scene of the accident.

Click here to read more about the accident at PG&E