Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology (FACE) Report: 23 Year-Old Lineman Electrocuted in North Carolina

摘要

A 23 year old lineman was electrocuted when he came into contact with a lightning arrestor conductor during work on a connection box on a utility pole. The lineman and a supervising lineman were to remove and replace a capacitor bank from a utility pole in a rural area. The upper cross member supported three 7200 volt conductors and each conductor had attached to it a lightning arrestor. The victim was inside a one person aerial bucket 25 feet above the ground. Protective insulating hoses were placed over two of the primary conductors. However, the lightning arrestor conductors attached to the primary conductors prevented the hoses from slipping all the way to the cross member on the utility pole. The victim used no boots, blankets, or other insulating material to cover the lightning arrestor conductors or other live conductors. He did not use his insulated rubber gloves. Evidence indicated that the victim was holding the wire cable with his left hand when his right hand came in contact with the lightning arrestor conductor. The cause of death was cardiac arrest due to contact with 7200 volts of electricity.