Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology (FACE) Report: An 18 Year-Old Groundman Electrocuted in North Carolina, June 1, 1987

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Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology (FACE) Report: An 18 Year-Old Groundman Electrocuted in North Carolina, June 1, 1987

A groundman was electrocuted when an energized powerline broke, contacting a pole trailer onto which the victim was loading a pole. The employer had a comprehensive safety program but relied heavily upon the job training. A five man crew had worked to replace an electric pole along a rural highway. The new pole had been installed and four conductors, three energized lines and the neutral, had been transferred to the new pole. All conductors had been deadened and saddle connections moved away from the pole. The workers moved the auger truck with the pole trailer into position under the power lines to receive the old pole. They did not ground the truck. The top of the pole was on the trailer and the bottom on the ground. The victim was in contact with the winch cable. An energized 13.2 kilovolt power line closest to the road broke about 7 inches from the deadened assembly and fell, making contact with the pole trailer. The victim provided a path to ground through the winch cable and was electrocuted. It is recommended that the safety program of the company be evaluated (this was its third fatality in 26 months), that employee training be evaluated, and that trucks and trailers being used under energized power lines be grounded.