Selected Electrical Incidents and Occurrences in Canada
Third Quarter – July to September, 2006
Date & Program Location Accident Description
MIS ID #
Fatalities:
July 21st Construction Petrolia Worker was operating a gravel spreading machine. The raised
1098782 box of a dump truck hit overhead 4.8 kV power lines, current
passed through truck to spreader. Worker was fatally injured
as he stepped off the spreader onto the ground.
July 25th Industrial Belleville Farmer plugged in an auger motor, felt a shock. Replaced
1084739 what he thought was faulty extension cord, plugged in the
motor again. Farmer was electrocuted from 120 volts.
Phase to ground fault on motor, no proper grounding.
****************Fatality reported to MOL – not work related, not part of report statistics**************
August 4th ******* Pickering Person flying a hang glider, flew into utility transformer and .
1099497 lines. Person was fatally injured by electrical contact.
Voltage of lines not given.
Critical Injuries:
July 31st Construction Thunder Beach Worker was washing conveyor belt for concrete truck, swung
1092386 belt too far, hit a hydro wire. Worker received a shock, fell to
the ground, lost consciousness for a short time.
August 3rd Industrial North York Utility worker was badly burnt from an electrical arc on a
1099513 27.6 kV overhead line. Worker was doing rubber glove work
from a bucket on one side of the pole, when a tree branch
came down, causing an arc on the other side of the pole. The
work being done at the time was not related to line clearing or
to the tree involved in the incident. Worker was wearing
FR bib style coveralls over a cotton shirt and synthetic bicycle
shorts. Worker was leaning out from the bucket at the time
of the flash, pocket flap on right side of coveralls opened up.
Arc energy from flash melted the shorts, causing the burns.
August 17th Industrial Brampton Worker on ladder replacing a light bulb, received a shock.
1096537 Worker fell from ladder, unconscious for a couple of minutes.
August 21st Construction Ottawa Worker was in a bucket when the bucket hit an overhead line.
1097250 Worker was knocked unconscious, no other details of event
were given.
August 29th Industrial Welland Worker was using a DC magnet suspended from a crane.
1100539 He noticed two dangling wires, tried to push them together
without first taking power off the magnet. Worker received
burns to both hands, lost consciousness for a short time.
August 30th Industrial Toronto Worker opened electrical panel to push resets for auger.
1100811 Made electrical contact, knocked unconscious. Voltage
inside panel not given.
September 23rd Construction Toronto Two electrical workers doing work in an electrical room.
1097946 Arc happened, 1 worker had 2nd degree burns to forehead..
Second worker had 3rd degree burns to right arm and face, and
internal burns in throat.
Non-Critical Injuries:
July 4th Industrial St. Catharines Worker felt a shock while using a wet/dry vacuum on a wet
1098087 floor. A section of the appliance cord had been wrapped with
masking tape.
July 5th Construction Etobicoke Worker doing work on a new compressor, arc happened.
1098178 Worker was burned to hands and face.
July 11th Construction Etobicoke Two electricians received 2nd degree burns, taken to hospital.
1098147 No other details of event given.
July 12th Industrial Toronto Worker was relocating some exit lights, received an electrical
1095028 shock. Worker had traced the power back to the wrong box.
Part of a complete lockout procedure – VERIFY
July 13th Construction Welland Electrician was connecting the HVAC unit when he received a
1098790 600 V shock. Suffered burns to finger on left hand.
July 14th Construction Etobicoke Working from a ladder, installing new conduits in ceiling area.
1098599 Worker received a 240 V shock, had dizziness and difficulty
breathing. Taken to hospital.
July 19th Construction Kitchener Worker made contact with 8 kV power line. No visible
1098556 injuries but worker was still taken to hospital as a precaution.
July 21st Construction Toronto Worker was holding onto a post while removing a ground
1093394 cable. Worker felt a shock and fell down.
July 28th Industrial Cambridge Worker was re-attaching test probes for a 24 V circuit when
1099384 his hand slipped. Worker received shock from 600 V circuit,
taken to hospital for observation.
July 31st Construction Pickering Construction electrician was tying in wires when a connector
1098642 came apart. Worker received an electrical shock, fell off
ladder, about six feet to floor.
August 1st Industrial Hamilton Worker was inserting valve key into valve box, felt an
1099423 electrical shock.
August 1st Construction Mississauga Worker was connecting an extension cord to a SKIL saw,
1099473 received a 110 V shock. Taken to hospital by ambulance.
August 2nd Mining St. Mary’s Wiring failure inside electrical equipment caused the worker
1099431 using the equipment to receive a 110 V shock.
August 3rd Industrial Concord Maintenance worker was fixing a light fixture, contacted a live
1099516 wire. Reaction to the shock caused him to fall off the ladder,
injuring his shoulder.
August 4th Construction Toronto Welder was pulling out some welding cables for a welder
1093262 while it was still running. Felt an electrical shock across his
chest area, went to hospital for observations.
August 5th Construction Brampton Operator of lift truck went into convulsions after lift truck
1093396 contacted hydro wires. Type and voltage of lines not given.
August 10th Industrial L’Orignal Worker doing work on energized electrical panel, received
1097029 burns from electrical contact. No other details of event given.
August 13th Industrial Ridgetown Worker contacted 600 V from an energized cable, received
1096255 burns to right hand. No details given of work being done.
August 15th Industrial Hamilton Worker was pushing the plug into the receptacle when a spark
1100353 occurred. Worker received burn to thumb, went to hospital.
August 17th Industrial Guelph Maintenance worker was troubleshooting injection moulding
1100362 machine when he received a 270 V shock. Worker sent to
hospital, then released.
August 22nd Industrial London Worker was using steel wool pad and soapy water to clean a
1100762 countertop. Steel wool pad contacted 220 V receptacle.
Worker received a shock, went to hospital and released.
August 24th Industrial Niagara Falls Worker doing work on a panel, received a 110 V shock.
1100070 Worker taken to hospital, no other details given.
August 25th Industrial Stoney Creek Worker was checking boiler for a flame, as he stood up, his
1100698 hand contacted a wire cage. Boiler uses 6000 V at low current
worker collapsed from the electrical contact, did not lose
consciousness.
August 30th Industrial Oshawa Student pulled plug out of wall socket, received an electrical
1100814 shock. No other details of event given.
August 31st Industrial Windsor Worker received burns from an arc flash event at an indoor
1098828 substation. Burns were to left and right forearms, right side of
face and right side of neck. Worker was opening 13.8 kV
metal enclosed switch, door was not properly secured, blew
open when arc occurred. Arc caused by weak springs not
forcing contacts open fast enough. Disconnect switch was
being operated many times a month for operation purposes,
not just as an isolating device.
September 5th Industrial Toronto Worker was testing outlet, got sparks. Worker received minor
1101255 burns from spraks, taken to hospital then released.
September 6th Construction Ancaster Worker received 110 V shock while working on equipment.
1101095 Worker taken to hospital then released.
September 15th Construction Wasaga Worker was doing work on eavestrough, aluminum ladder
1092402&1101556 (same event) Beach contacted 5 kV. Worker received minor injuries only.
September 18th Construction Toronto Worker received electrical shock from wires in junction box.
1101558 No details given of specific work being done at the time.
September 21st Construction Ottawa Worker received an electrical shock and minor burns to right
1101341 hand. No details given of work being done at the time.
September 21st Construction Mississauga Worker was doing drilling for a new light fixture. Brushed
1101693 elbow against 347 V box and received a shock.
September 27th Construction Brampton Worker was removing a de-energized panel from electrical
11011726 room. Made contact with 120 volts, taken to hospital and
released. No details given on source of 120 V in a
“de-energized” panel.
September 28th Construction Caledon Two workers carrying an extension ladder, ladder contacted
1101725 overhead lines. Workers received burns to their feet.
Powerline Contacts – No Injuries:
July 5th Construction Toronto Crane being used to move a metal fence, touched a hydro line.
1092319 Pole caught on fire as a result of incident.
July 11th Construction Paakenham Dump truck hit an overhead power line, broke the pole.
1095469
July 13th Construction St Catharines Excavator contacted 8 kV buried line. Contractor said “No
1083820 damage”, but all the lights in the neighbourhood were out.
July 13th Construction Sudbury Excavator hit a buried primary cable. Locates not marked
1093747 properly.
July 17th Construction Milton Worker was on steps of truck, truck contacted overhead lines.
1095989 All eight tires of truck blew from the contact, no information
given on any injuries to worker.
July 19th Construction Brantford Directional boring machine hit a 2400 V buried line. Locates
1098570 had been done, boring machine was being used within the
limits of the locates.
July 19th Construction Sarnia Boom of boom truck was raised a worker drove truck on
1098926 highway. Boom hit high voltage power line.
July 19th Construction Welland Worker using ammeter, casing of ammeter got too close
1098929 to 2400 V cable. Arc happened from cable through
ammeter case to neutral. No injuries to worker.
July 20th Construction Kawartha Lakes Boom of a 320 Caterpillar Excavator hit an overhead electrical
1097830 cable.
July 20th Construction Toronto Counterweight of crane contacted 10.8 kV overhead line.
1098616
July 22nd Construction Thunder Bay Contractor hit buried secondary cable.
1091254
July 25th Construction Ottawa Shovel contacted buried cables, locates were off by about
1097018 7 feet.
July 25th Construction London Loader doing grading operations, contacted a buried 13 kV
1099354 cable.
July 26th Construction Ottawa Crane lifting pile of wood, wind caused load to swing and
1097073 contact overhead lines.
July 26th Construction Vaughan Digging equipment hit 27.6 kV buried cable.
1098632
July 26th Construction Kitchener Excavator hit buried primary cables, no locates.
1098806
July 26th Construction Toronto Boom from a lift truck hit overhead wires, blew tires off
1098994 truck.
July 26th Construction New Dundee Worker cut through the wires of a 3-phase sub-circuit.
1099237
July 31st Industrial Thunder Bay Truck hit overhead line.
1091537
August 1st Construction Cambridge Excavator contacted 240 V overhead line.
1099316
August 1st Construction Toronto Excavation work, contacted residential power line in
1099504 backyard of residence.
August 2nd Construction Oshawa Backhoe hit overhead 8 kV power line.
1099477
August 3rd Construction Southampton Wire plough hit a residential service.
1099740
August 3rd Construction Ancaster Contractor hit a buried 27 kV cable.
1099777
August 8th Construction Thunder Bay Backhoe doing excavation, contacted a buried power cable.
1092078
August 9th Construction Cambridge Contractor was using a directional borer machine,
1099795 hit a 4 kV cable.
August 15th Construction Toronto Scaffold collapsed, hit residential power line. Scaffold was
1100160 two storeys high.
August 16th Construction Markham Paving truck used farmer’s field to turn around, contacted a
1074858 16 kV power line.
August 16th Construction Toronto Tower crane contacted overhead wires.
1100161
August 17th Construction Markham Contractor doing digging, hit a buried power line cable.
1100161
August 17th Construction Tecumseh Boom from cement rruck hit 16 kV overhead cable.
1100599
August 18th Construction St. Catharines Backhoe hit buried 240 V residential service.
1100071
August 20th Construction Whitby Worker cutting cables, inadvertently cut a live 110 V cable.
1099988
August 21st Construction Wellesley During a motor vehicle accident, a cement truck pulled down
1084767 the neutral of an overhead line.
August 21st Construction Richmond Hill Contractor digging, hit a 27.6 kV buried power line.
1100233
August 22nd Construction Baden Worker using a Hi-Hoe contacted a 4.8 kV overhead line.
1100672 Too ‘high’ a Hi-Hoe???????????
August 24th Construction Brampton Live cables hit by contractor, no other details of event
1093828 given.
August 25th Construction St. Catharines Contact made with buried 240 V cable, no other details of
1100266 event given.
August 28th Construction Windsor Angle slipped out of gripping device, contacted 480 V
1101237 bus bar.
August 28th Construction Elliot Lake Overhead high voltage line hit by contractor, no other details
1101441 of event given.
August 29th Construction Hamilton Torpedo struck buried power line. Lines found by locate were
1100978 hand dug and exposed, line hit by torpedo was not on locate.
August 30th Construction Oakwood Event description mentioned a power line contact that tripped
1099856 off a breaker. No other details of event given.
August 31st Construction Richmond Hill Backhoe boom contacted a telephone line, snapped off the
1078146 pole.
September 1st Construction Ajax Contractor hit buried cable. Working with no locates.
1100831
September 5th Construction Toronto Backhoe digging trench for new duct bank, hit 500 V cable.
1100612
September 6th Construction Waterloo Backhoe doing digging, contacted 2400 cable. Locates were
1100544 off.
September 8th Construction Kirkland Lake Hydro line pulled down, no details given of equipment
1098909 involved.
September 11th Construction Ottawa Shovel doing digging, contacted 16 kV buried cable.
1100220
September 11th Construction Oaakville Worker drilling holes to hang a sign, hit a power cable.
1100754
September 12th Construction Mississauga Workers moving a ladder from roof to ground, ladder hit
1101049 high-voltage power lines. No injuries to workers. Event
happened at a church, draw your own conclusions.
September 12th Construction Hamilton Workers digging, contacted buried 240 V residential cable.
1101474
September 13th Construction Artemsia Crew was moving a wooden pole, lost control of the pole.
1101477 Pole contacted overhead lines in the vicinity.
September 18th Construction Kingston Event classified as electrical occurrence, no other details
1102297 of event given.
September 25th Construction Sudbury Worker using a hand grinder, cut through three 110 V
1099072 control cables.
September 25th Construction Vaughan Worker doing digging, contacted 27 kV buried cable.
1101781
September 26th Construction Sudbury Excavator clearing out truck, swung and clipped some
1101405 overhead lines.
DATA SUMMARY – Third Quarter:
Fatals: Criticals: Non-criticals: Powerline Electrical
Contacts: Equipment:
2006 2 7 33 56 0
2005 2 4 39 67 0
2004 3 5 24 56 1
2003 5 6 24 50 4
2002 1 10 34 59 0
2001 2 5 25 44 1
2000 2 5 26 42 0
1999 3 11 24 40 0
1998 5 13 13 40 2
And Finally…..
July 19th Mining Timmins Worker driving water truck, backed up and hit a gate.
1093608 Worker got out of truck, looked at the damage, and fainted.
You can draw your own conclusions about who was going to
have to pay for the damages.
.
Information taken from Ministry of Labour MIS database
Report prepared: December 6, 2006
Assembled by: Michael Reiser
Engineer
PSS – Kitchener District
Phone: (519) 883-5682
FAX: (519) 883-5694
E-Mail: mike.reiser@mol.gov.on.ca
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