Concrete Finisher Electrocuted When Bull Float Contacted an Energized Power Line

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Michigan Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (Project) (MIFACE) ; Michigan State University. Department of Medicine. Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Description:
  In the summer of 2016, a male concrete finisher in his 30s was electrocuted when the handle of the 29-foot-long metal bull float he was using contacted an energized 7,200 volt power line. The decedent and his coworkers were performing concrete finishing work for a residential driveway. The decedent was facing south, finishing the concrete driveway and the power lines were at his back (north) when the incident occurred. A line of brush was approximately 8 feet away from him under the power lines, which may have required him to elevate the bull float handle rather than pull it in a more horizontal position. The decedent was wearing non-electrical rated rubber boots over his leather work boots, vinyl work gloves, hard hat and safety glasses. When the bull float handle contacted the overhead line, the decedent fell forward, letting go of the pole. The utility company measured the height of the two overhead lines after the incident. The bottom neutral line was 17 feet high and the 7,200-volt primary line was 23-feet high vertically and 24 feet from the edge of the concrete forms. There were two visible impact burn points on the wire. One was a 1.5-2-inch width of the bull float pole and the second contact was approximately 2.3-3.0 feet long where the pole may have slid along the wire. Emergency response was called and the decedent was transported to a local hospital where he died. MIFACE identified the following key and possibly contributing factors: 1. Unfamiliarity with residential jobsites and associated hazards relating to nearby, above ground power lines. 2. Failure to identify and assess power lines as hazards and make appropriate recommendations to employees regarding work practices and equipment. 3. Use of conductive bull float handles. Recommendations: 1. Conduct a jobsite survey and hazard assessment to identify all potential hazards, including those associated with overhead power lines. 2. Institute a hazard awareness program in which employees are educated about potential hazards as well as any specific hazards noted during the jobsite survey. 3. When working near overhead power lines, ensure that a minimum of 10 feet of space is maintained between the equipment and the power line. 4. Contact the power company to alert them about the work being performed near power lines. 5. Use bull float handles that are non-conductive and/or insulated.
• Subjects:
  Accident Prevention Accidents Accidents, Occupational Construction Industry Electric Injuries Hazardous Substances Mortality Occupational Health Safety Safety Management Staff Development Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Accident-analysis Accident-prevention Author Keywords: Electrocution Bull Float Concrete Construction Construction Equipment Construction Workers Electrical Charge Electrical Conductivity Electrical Hazards Electrical Power Transmission Lines Electrical Safety Electrocutions Fatalities Hazard Identification Injuries Injury-prevention OSHA Region 5 Power Lines Safety-education Safety-practices Safety-programs Training Traumatic-injuries Work-environment Work-practices

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• FACE - NIOSH and State:
  FACE ; Construction ; Electrocution
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Subseries:
  State
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHSFACE16MI104
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Michigan ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054983
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2019-100575
• Citation:
  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 16MI104, 2018 Jun ; :1-8
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  Michigan State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  23 - Construction - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  2005/07/01
• End Date:
  2026/06/30
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:66ace97ad6b52ec493441271e480427eefb212081d9925c2c21e66fcd59548f97a72cd85a0441d7a591671a49108c3b00f84b657ffc3bc4eef0a4dc9f1dfc739
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/164953/cdc_164953_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.27 MB ]