Truck Operator Is Electrocuted By Allegedly Defective Switchgear

Case Overview

This case involves a truck operator that was electrocuted while on a construction site. The driver lifted the dump bed of the truck and hit an overhead electric wire. Because the operator was in a truck with rubber tires, the circuit was incomplete. As he stepped out of the truck, however, the power did not shut off fast enough and the man was electrocuted and subsequently expired. It was alleged that the operator’s body should have completed the circuit and that the recloser should have shut off all electric power, preventing his death. An electrical contracting expert with significant experience in recloser circuits was sought to review the case.

Questions to the Construction Safety expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your familiarity with reclosers.

I have extensive experience with reclosers, having served as an electrical contractor for 40+ years. I am a certified journeyman electrician and have served as an expert in a court of law for electrical power distribution matters many times, including multiple cases with reclosers.

Are you familiar with reclosers on power lines?

Typically, when a recloser senses that there is something wrong on the line itself, it will trip and turn back on again twice. The third time, it will shut off. A recloser must have three faults to shut off completely. If there is a fault on the line, the main transformer back at the substation will trip the circuit off. The recloser is designed so if the tire rim hits an electric line, it momentarily shuts itself doing and will go back up again. These reclosers can be set for 10 sec, 30 sec, 2 min, 5 min, etc, they are highly adjustable. In this particular case, power should definitely have been shut out, as the truck is naturally grounded.

About the expert

This expert has over 40 years of experience in the field of electrical contractor safety, specializing in safety code compliance, high voltage electrical safety orders, the grounding and bonding of electrical systems, electrical line contact, high voltage contact, power plant wiring, ANSI standards, electrical patent infringement, accident investigation, and OSHA standards. He earned his AS from the College of Marin, before beginning his career in the field. Today, he holds certifications in motor control circuits, grounding and bonding of electrical circuits, high voltage and low voltage hookups by OSHA, and high voltage codes by the National Safety Code. This expert previously was a journeyman electrician at WYE Electric and the master journeyman electrician at MDE Electric. Currently, he serves as the owner and operator of an electrical contracting company in northern California.

E-009667

Specialties:

Construction Safety