Roofer electrocuted after falling on power lines in California.
Authors
Public Health Institute
Source
Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 92CA008, 1993 Apr; :1-3
A 31-year-old white male roofer (victim) was electrocuted when he lost his balance and fell on top of two power lines while doing preparations for a roofing job. The victim was in the process of placing a chalk line under the power wires when the incident occurred. The location of the incident was a private residence. There were two co-workers on site at the time of the incident, but the victim was not removed from the electrical source and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was not attempted. The wire insulation had mostly worn off exposing the bare line wires. These wires (two live 110 volt and one ground) were tagged and retained by Department of Water & Power (DWP) for inspection. The California FACE investigator concluded that in order to prevent future similar occurrences, employers should: 1. provide training and documentation to guard against electrical hazards for both themselves and their employees. 2. have personnel trained in first aid and CPR. 3. have electrical power lines deenergized when employees are going to be working in areas where they may be at risk with regard to electrical hazards. 4. ensure that electrical service entrance conductors are insulated.
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