No Escape From Cave-In
One pipelayer was crushed to death and another injured when a trench collapsed. They were laying sewer pipe in a trench four feet (1.22 meters) wide at the bottom and 15 feet (4.57 meters) wide
Moisture And Electricity A Deadly Mix
A worker had been operating an electrically-powered screw gun with pieces of plywood during a house renovation project. When his co-workers found him, he was dead from electrocution. An investigation suggested this as the likely
Scaffold Swings Over to Power Line
An electrician working for a utility company died of electrocution when an aluminum pole he was touching struck a 12,000 volt primary power line. Aluminum and other metals easily conduct electricity. The aluminum pole was
Faulty Wiring Electrocutes Worker
On a rainy evening, a worker was repairing a broken window in a second-storey retail shop. He stepped outside on a ledge to gain better access to the work while he was caulking the window.
Steel Walkway Contacts 14,400 Volts
A worker attaching wire rope slings to a walkway was electrocuted when a crane operator swung the main boom of the crane over a walkway. The 56 foot steel walkway was to be used for
Tree Trimmer Electrocuted
An untrained and poorly equipped tree trimmer was electrocuted when a branch he had just cut touched an 8,000 volt power line. He worked for a tree removal service, and was cutting down a tree
Defective Appliance Gives Fatal Shock
An appliance repairman was electrocuted when he was testing a defective washing machine. He was running the machine to determine the problem before attempting repairs. He had one hand on the control dial and the
Operator Killed as Boom Touches Power Line
A company was contracted to dig post holes for a fencing project which was located adjacent to overhead power lines. A hydraulic auger with a 30-foot boom was being operated from a flatbed truck. On
Recycling Worker Electrocuted
A man working in the recycling business was electrocuted when he was helping move some scrap metal stored beneath a power line.
Cable Touches High Power Line
A worker died of electrocution when a cable hanging from a crane touched a high voltage power line. He was helping to unload concrete pilings from a flatbed truck, and was guiding the pilings as
Ground Prong Missing
A missing third prong from an electrical plug resulted in the electrocution death of a laborer. He was climbing a ladder to hand a power drill to another worker when he received a fatal shock.
Sampling Rod Touches Live Wire
A long metal rod being handled by three workers touched an overhead power line. Two of the workers died of electrocution and the third was severely injured. The fatality occurred when they were using a
Remote-Controlled Boom Hits High Voltage Line
A concrete worker was electrocuted when a pumping truck boom touched a 34,000-volt power line. He had been manipulating the boom with a hard-wired remote control, preparing to pour concrete into a wooden form. When
Worker Touches Energized Receptacle
A worker was electrocuted when he contacted a live electrical circuit, a metal casing on the electrical outlet and a wet-mopped floor at the same time.
Fencing Worker Contacts Line
A crew was building a chain-link fence in a residential area. One worker lifted a 21-foot (seven-meter) section of the metal top rail into the air and the rail contacted a 7,200-volt power line. He
Transformer Topples Into Excavation
Poor supervision and poor planning were to blame for a fatality that occurred when a trench caved in and crushed an electrician. He was part of a crew working on construction of a shopping center.
Window Worker Fatally Shocked
Two workers were installing shutters on the windows of a building. One was about six feet (two meters) above the ground on a scaffold.
Meter Reader Grabs Clothesline and 110 Volts
A meter reader died when he contacted an energized clothesline at a residence. He was part of a crew working to restore electrical power to a neighborhood following hurricane damage. He was about to tell
Swimming Pool Worker Electrocuted
A 17-year-old assistant pool manager was electrocuted when she contacted an ungrounded electric motor. The victim, an employee of a city, was told to add soda ash to the swimming pool water to maintain the
Laborer Electrocuted On Demolition
A laborer involved in the demolition of a building was electrocuted when he came into contact with a live wire. Most of the wiring had been disconnected, but there were still some live circuits to
Hydrant Pipe Hits Power Line
A construction laborer was helping install a fire hydrant pipe, six inches in diameter and 12 feet long. The hydrant was being lowered by a chain attached to the backhoe bucket and two workers were
Electrical Contact Sets Off Fireball GalleryElectrical Contact Sets Off Fireball
Agriculture, Construction, Education, English, Fatality Reports, Forestry, General Industry, General Safety, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industry, Language, Manufacturing, Maritime, Mining, Oil and Gas, Retail, Topic, Transportation, Type, Utilities
Electrical Contact Sets Off Fireball
A journeyman painter died of massive thermal burns caused when an electrical contact set off an explosion of volatile waterproofing material. The painter and a co-worker were in the basket of a personlift, designed to
Aluminum Ladder Conducts 7,200 Volts GalleryAluminum Ladder Conducts 7,200 Volts
Agriculture, Construction, Education, Electrical, English, Fatality Reports, Forestry, General Industry, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industry, Ladders, Language, Manufacturing, Maritime, Mining, Oil and Gas, Retail, Topic, Transportation, Type, Utilities
Aluminum Ladder Conducts 7,200 Volts
While helping to reshingle a farmhouse roof, a worker was handling an aluminum ladder. The ladder contacted 7,200 volts of electricity when it hit a power line. The worker was electrocuted. An electrical entry wound
Crane Contacts High Tension Wires GalleryCrane Contacts High Tension Wires
Construction, Crane Safety, Electrical, English, Fatality Reports, Forestry, General Industry, Industry, Language, Machinery/Equipment, Manufacturing, Maritime, Mining, Oil and Gas, Overhead Hazards, Topic, Transportation, Type, Utilities
Crane Contacts High Tension Wires
Early in the evening an operator of a crane was installing storm sewer pipes. Suddenly, the boom of the crane contacted the overhead high tension wires. A pipe layer who was guiding the pipe as
Apprentice Fatally Burned In Flash Fire GalleryApprentice Fatally Burned In Flash Fire
Agriculture, Construction, Education, Electrical, English, Fatality Reports, Forestry, General Industry, Healthcare, Hospitality, Industry, Language, Manufacturing, Maritime, Mining, Oil and Gas, Retail, Topic, Transportation, Type, Utilities
Apprentice Fatally Burned In Flash Fire
A flash fire killed an electrician's apprentice when he touched a switch he thought was de-energized. The mishap occurred at a transformer station. The apprentice was part of a team doing modifications on equipment at
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