Maintenance laborer electrocuted during renovation of an office building in California.
Source
NIOSH 1993 Apr; :1-3
Abstract
A 27-year-old Hispanic male maintenance laborer was electrocuted while doing renovation work in an office building. The victim was removing ceiling tiles and trying to cut an electrical wire when the incident occurred. The victim was electrocuted when both hands made contact with a dangling electrical wire (120 volts). At the time of contact the victim was standing on a step ladder made of aluminum and fiberglass. A co-worker pushed the victim from the ladder immediately after the incident, thus exposing himself (co-worker) to the risk of electrocution. A supervisor summoned to the area phoned 911 and then initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures. The rescue team arrived a short time latter and continued giving CPR along with defibrillation procedures and transported the victim to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The California FACE investigator concluded that in order to prevent future similar occurrences, employers should: 1. provide and implement safety precautions and training for employees working with or around electrical wires. 2. have personnel certified in CPR and First Aid. 3. only allow properly trained or licensed individuals to work with or around electrical systems. 4. only use wooden ladders when potential contact with electricity exists.
Keywords
Region-9; Accident-analysis; Accident-prevention; Accidents; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Traumatic-injuries; Work-operations; Work-analysis; Work-areas; Work-performance; Work-practices; Safety-education; Safety-equipment; Safety-measures; Safety-monitoring; Construction; Construction-equipment; Construction-workers; Electric-properties; Electrical-conductivity; Electrical-hazards; Electrical-safety; Electrical-systems; Electricity; Electrocutions; Ladders; Training
Document Type
Field Studies; Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
NTIS Accession No.
PB2008-100195
Identifying No.
FACE-92CA011; Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-CCU-907284
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Performing Organization
Public Health Institute
