crane contact with overhead power lines

He died on the scene. A construction company was in the process of laying concrete water pipe with a crane. The company president attempted to render assistance and apparently contacted the truck, completing a path to ground through his body. Found inside – Page 6001645 Crane boom stops , 1632 Crane contacts with overhead power lines ( Slide set ) , 1607 Crane operator's manual , 1609 Crane safety , 1614 Crane user's safety manual , 1605 600 INDEX OF TITLES -- Continued. Only authorized personnel may de-energize a power line. The first consideration should be to have the power line(s) deenergized and visibly grounded. . These guidelines recommend posting signs at the operator’s station and on the outside of the crane warning that electrocution may occur if workers do not maintain safe minimum clearance that equals or exceeds OSHA requirements as follows: Before beginning operations near electrical lines, notify the owners of the lines or their authorized representatives and provide them with all pertinent information: type of equipment (including length of boom) and date, time, and type of work involved. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. NIOSH encourages employers to consider de-energization (where possible) as the primary means of preventing injury from contact between cranes and power lines. If leaks are seen at hoses, pipes, or fittings in a hydraulic crane, the crane operator must _____. Case 3: A construction company was in the process of laying concrete water pipe with a crane. Stay alert! A study conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) showed that 377 (65%) of 580 work-related electrocutions occurred in the construction industry during the period 1985-89 [OSHA 1990]. This study tested the efficacy of two proximity alarm models under various simulated construction conditions. • When equipment is being operated near overhead power lines, employees standing on the ground should not come in contact with the equipment unless the equipment is Found insideSome electrocutions result from contact with overhead power lines. A common scenario is if the boom of a mobile crane contacts an overhead power line, current travels through the vehicle body and even through the tires to ground. This minimum clearance distance is a buffer zone that must be kept between the equipment and overhead lines. Nationwide, electrocutions caused by a crane, rigging, load, or load line contacting an overhead power line have resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities. As the crane's boom was swung in the direction of 7,200 volt power lines, the cable contacted the lines and the worker was Half of these electrocutions were associated with the crane boom or cable contacting an overhead power line, while others involved a power line coming into contact with unspecified parts of the crane (McCann, Gittleman, & Watters, 2008). PB288258. When the foreman noticed that the boom remained in contact with the power line, he tried to open one of the truck doors (presumably to move the truck). Contact between cranes and overhead power lines is a major cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. SafeWork NSW and NSW electricity supply authorities continue to receive notifications of incidents where mobile plant have come into contact with energised overhead power lines. In addition: Operate the crane at a slower-than-normal rate in the vicinity of power lines. To reduce the potential for crane power line contact, safeguards can include: a. Crane contacts overhead powerlines. Workers should also be trained to recognize the hazards and use proper techniques when rescuing coworkers or recovering equipment in contact with electrical energy. This Alert describes five cases (six electrocutions) that resulted from such hazards and makes recommendations for preventing similar incidents. Silver Spring, MD: CPWR, The Center for Construction Research and Training. Crane contacts overhead powerlines. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Material is not properly secured. DEDICATED SPOTTER Equipment Maintenance The employer has an option of doing this assessment for the area 360 degrees around the crane or for a more limited, demarcated area. Additional safety controls may be instituted to further prevent and/or protect against power line contacts; however, the measures previously discussed must still be implemented if any part of the equipment, load line, or load (including rigging and lifting accessories), while operating up to the equipment’s maximum working radius in the work zone, could get closer than the minimum approach distance of the power line permitted in Table A (1926.1408). The crane operator should remain inside the cab. NIOSH believes that this type of event is the most common cause of fatalities associated with mobile crane operations [3] and is responsible for approximately 1.5% of all fatal work-related injuries each year. The dedicated spotter must be a qualified signal person; however, in situations where the equipment operator requires assistance of a signal person to provide signals related to maneuvering the equipment or load other than maintaining the required power line clearance distance, a different person must serve as the signal person. Develop and implement written safety programs to help workers recognize and control the hazards of crane contact with overhead power lines. To protect against electrical shock injury in the event of contact between a crane and an energized line, the CSA recommends the following: The five cases presented here were investigated by the NIOSH FACE Program between March 1990 and March 1993. As described by these case studies, contacting energized power lines may result in one or more fatal electrocutions, serious burns, and/or damaged equipment. Saving Lives, Protecting People, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 1. Found inside – Page 99Job - related fatalities involving cranes by selected characteristics , 1992-95 36 20 23 21 3 55 54 13 6 1 25 11 6 10 7 13 3 6 2 2 2 9 24 ... Cranes -- overhead Cranes -- portal , tower , pillar . ... Contact with overhead power lines . As the section was moved, it came into contact with a 23,000 volt overhead power line. Research has shown that it is difficult to judge accurately the distance to an overhead object such as a power line [Middendorf 1978]. Types of overhead power lines and their heights Most overhead lines have wires supported on metal towers/pylons or wooden poles - they are often called 'transmission lines' or 'distribution lines'. As he began to pull away, the crew supervisor yelled to him, asking if the crew could use his water hose to wash out the cement bucket suspended from the crane. 7. No matter which piece of equipment is being used, below are some general safety rules in regards to the maintenance and operation of cranes. Found insideBefore any work begins, the job site should be inspected to locate overhead power lines and electrical equipment. If there appears to be any conflict, contact the electric utility company so measures can be takento ensurea safework ... CFR. If correct safety procedures are actively practiced, these incidents can be avoided. As the section was moved, it came in direct contact with a 23,000 volt overhead power line. Evaluate alternative work methods that do not require the use of cranes. There were nine deaths in Washington from crane contacts with power lines from 1999 to 2012, including a double fatality in 2010. One of the power lines passed directly over the well (32 feet above the ground). Limit the use of cage-type boom guards, insulated lines, ground rods, nonconductive links, and proximity warning devices. Found inside – Page 509The victim was holding the guide cable attached to the pipe and boom cable and his body became the source to ground ... and bolt assembly and was electrocuted immediately when the crane came in contact with the overhead power lines . Call 1-800-4 OUTAGE (1-800-468-8243) to report contact with power lines, downed power lines or an outage. Found inside – Page 12Date : May 13 , 1997 Slide Number : 8 ( Fatal Case Number : 10 ) Accident Classification : Electrical Type of ... by the crane when the crane's metal boom came in contact with overhead high - voltage ( 12,470 VAC ) transmission lines . The worker should never touch the crane. NIOSH urges all employers who use cranes in the vicinity of overhead power lines to familiarize themselves with and implement the existing OSHA standard. 1. Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin, Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, January 1978; 132-4. Saving Lives, Protecting People, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 95-108sum.pdf (Worker/Employer Summary Sheet Only), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Found insideWhen using crane on any vehicle, park vehicle clear of all overhead powerlines. If operating crane under power lines, do not allow vehicle to contact high-voltage connections. Failure to comply will result in death to personnel. These case reports indicate that some crane operators, their employers and supervisors, and others who work around cranes may not be fully aware of the hazards of operating cranes near overhead power lines or may not implement the proper safety procedures for controlling these hazards. Even more clearance is required for aluminum ladders, cranes, and very high-voltage lines. Power lines are no joke. These distances apply to any part of the crane including the load it is lifting. When contact occurs between the equipment and the power line, the electricity looks for the shortest distance to ground. The use of cage-type boom guards, insulating links, or proximity warning devices shall not alter the need to follow required precautions [29 CFR 1926.550 (a)(15)(v)]. power lines of any equipment or material that might be lifted by a crane should be prohibited. Found inside – Page 51-196For further action , if any , see Current Case Table vent physical contact with the lines , voluntary disregard for ... was operating the crane within when the employer committed the viola10 feet of the overhead power lines as evition . Where it is difficult for the crane operator to maintain safe clearance by visual means, designate a person to observe the clearance and to give immediate warning when the crane approaches the limits of safe clearance [29 CFR 1926.550(a) (15)(iv)]. National Safety Council utility study, 1964-1968. After reversing across the quarry access road, the crane contacted an overhead 12,700 V Single Wire Earth Return (SWER) powerline. On June 24, 1991, a 37-year-old construction laborer was electrocuted while pulling a wire rope attached to a crane cable toward a load. Like de-energizing the line, only the company who owns the line may move it. Many of the electrical fatalities in construction, mining, and other industries are due to personnel accidentally contacting overhead electrical power lines with high-reaching equipment such as mobile cranes. If your tower crane is located near sidewalks or a public roadway be aware that overhead protection or special procedures may be required to protect the public. One worker touching an outrigger of the crane was electrocuted. 90-39. 1926.1408 Power line safety, equipment operations 1926.1409 Power line safety over 350 kV 1926.1410 Power line safety, equipment operations closer than Table A zone 1926.1412 Inspections 1926.1413 Wire rope, inspection 1926.1414 Wire rope, selection and installation criteria 1926.1417 Operation 1926.1418 Authority to stop operation Contact between cranes and overhead power lines is a major cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. A high voltage lines will need to decide what approach distances and work zones ( Figure! 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Clearance distances ( 29 CFR 1926.1408 ) disconnected the power lines with voltages above that come in contact wires... The discharge of electrical burns [ NIOSH 1990a ] walking along a access!, specifically rules: 1926.1408-1926.1411 by surveying the jobsite and looking for the electric such...

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