Update: Work-Related Electrocutions Associated with Hurricane Hugo – Puerto Rico

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  Rechani, P. ; Rullan, J. V.
• Description:
  The results of an analysis of work related electrocutions occurring in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo in Puerto Rico were summarized. Hurricane Hugo crossed the northeastern part of Puerto Rico on September 18, 1989. After the hurricane, approximately 85% of Puerto Rico was without electric power because of damage to power lines and poles. Six electrocutions occurred during operations to restore power; five were occupational. A NIOSH Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology team assisted local public health officials in investigating the five occupational electrocution cases, who were 28, 30, 35, 38, and 42 year old males. Two incidents involved electric company employees whose job responsibilities did not normally involve work near energized lines. Two of the electrocutions resulted from the victims making contact with power lines that were assumed to be disconnected or deenergized, but which were receiving feedback current from portable generators. One fatality resulted from an electric lineman contacting a dangling, energized 4,800 volt powerline while working in a dark wooded area. One fatality occurred when a lineman working from a bucket truck inadvertently activated the control lever, causing the bucket to move into an adjacent power line. An editorial note discussed the conditions in the aftermath of the hurricane. Recommendations of the NIOSH investigators for prevention of such incidents were presented. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Electric Injuries Electricity Environmental Health Occupational Health Occupational Injuries Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety
• Keywords:
  Accident-analysis Electrical-hazards Electrical-shock Electrical-workers Environmental-factors NIOSH-Author Occupational-accidents Risk-factors
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 2 ; Puerto Rico
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  4 pdf pages
• Volume:
  38
• Issue:
  42
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00232216
• Citation:
  MMWR 1989 Oct; 38(42):718-720
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1990
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:38d968e13113aa10b19008ba75275c5ed560c4d439a24f989c85bacecec6bbe8542c9e7289cac1c0b99f32c7aee7d6eece2807deb28eba9d0e043c11abb98e4e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/183324/cdc_183324_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 381.25 KB ]