An experienced electrical engineer was electrocuted while removing dust from equipment in the main electrical distribution room of a hotel.

The man was employed by a maintenance company inspecting and improving the hotel’s heating and other equipment. He had been working in the underground machine room observing tests being done on boilers and had entered the electrical distribution room after telling a fellow worker he would be removing some dust from electrical equipment.

A loud cracking sound was heard from the room, the power went out and an alarm started to ring.

Fellow workers found his body on the floor of the electrical distribution room. Metal fittings around the secondary side disconnector for the instrument transformer were burned. Other equipment was damaged and showed burn marks.

Later investigation revealed the engineer had assumed mistakenly that the power was off. He touched the energized equipment with a wooden stick with fabric on the end in an attempt to remove dust.

Electrical injuries and fatalities can be prevented by following established safety policies and procedures – in this case both through the hotel facility and the maintenance contractor. Proper lockout of all electrical sources is vital before doing work such as cleaning an electrical room.