#10248, "After 4 years at the desk, 10 years in the industry, i had a fatality." Jun-04-06 10:25 AM by Star Turbo Talon
For those of you that dont know me, I work for the Power Company in Chicago and northern IL. While on shift I had a customer killed, or damn close.
Saturday 06/03/06 10am, i recieve a ticket that a customer fell from a ladder and bounced off the wires. This is a typical tree trimming incident and happens frequently. Some people should not do yard work! Get a Troubleshooter Dispatched and upon arrival at 1020am he finds this:
26 yr old Siding installer from Romeoville IL, was siding a 6 flat building with aluminum siding. This individual was breakign minimum separation with the Overhead conductors. Minimun Separation is OSHA standard that states you SHALL not be within 10' of any energized conductors without proper training and certification. This guy was 25-30 feet in the air breaking minimun Separation with the PRIMARIES. Primary voltage depending on state and construction standard is 4kv, 12kv, 34kv, 69kv ect. 4kv is very old and no longer used, evetually gets upgraded to 12kv. This was a 12kv feeder. Siding installer lost control of the ALUMINUM siding while above the primaries, the sidign made contact with A and B phase causing this guys body to endure 12,000 volts phase to ground. 26year old fell 25 feet to the soft concrete alley.
Upon arrival the kid was transported to Cook CO hospital and his condition is unknown. He was consious when the ambulance picked him up. The pool of blood in the alley leads us to believe the kid has serious head injury and significant blood loss. The T-shooter (OES) when complete with polic and Claims Dept was directed to remove the blood covered siding, the Ovhd Span of wire and transport all material to the local office where the power company will conduct analysis of the material to verify what was told to police and the company actually happened. Yes our metallurgy labs can tell if you actually made contact where you said you did. I think they do that just in the event there is a lawsuit claiming hte wires were not supposed to be there.
I have taken 4kv, 12kv and even 34kv Indirect contact when i was in line clearance. 4kv and 12kv isnt too catastrophic if indirect and momentary but 34kv flat out blasted me from where i stood in a tree, i woke up a second later dangling in my saddle and the saw still running after its 20 foot fall. That was also through a plastic saw handle. With aluminum siding this guy might have well just made direct contact and grabbed the phases.
I cant even imagine this guys pain if he is still alive. The company wont know due to confidentiality. I feel sorry for whatever family he has or had. No idea if this guy was even on the clock with whoever he worked for, there was a mention that he might have been doing side work. Trying to make a few bucks for summer now he might be up to his ass in medical bills and possibly a huge OSHA fine when and if he is able to recover and go back to work. If he lived, then he might just wish he died and that is truely a sad thing to think.
Sometimes people just need to take 1 minute to look around where they will be working and notice the obvious. For those of you that think that sevice drop of wiring in your house are small hazards.....Think again. I get contact calls at least once a week if not every couple days. Most of the time they are nothing serious at all.
#10282, "RE: After 4 years at the desk, 10 years in the industry, i had a fatality." In response to Reply # 5
Originally posted by Hult250R
Originally posted by eclipzGST That sucks! The title kind of scared me. I thought by the way it's written, that somehow you were responsible...
thats the exact same thing I thought too. Hope everything turns out for the best.
So did I.. shit man, that's scary. Hope the dude it alright.
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#10285, "RE: After 4 years at the desk, 10 years in the industry, i had a fatality." In response to Reply # 6
it reaLLY doesnt matter anymore now does it....responsible doesnt really mean anything, just another word. After this weekend and all my wonderous events discussions or what ever, i have had enough. You can blame me for all yuor unhappiness. I dont see any of it worht it.
I am loking this because frankly nothing matters anymore. Do what you will.
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