Crane contacts powerlines

[Batch]

We were working down in Florida City last Monday and it was a rainy day. We took lunch and heard that a bucket truck had been struck with lightning. They then said that the report of lightning was wrong and that the bucket truck had struck a power line. injuring 3 workers.

Well it turned out that it was a former employee of the company I work for. He is in the hospital for awhile and entry and exit wounds from the current. He still claims that the crane was struck by lightning and that the lightning blew out the two tires on the crane and caused the crane to fall into the power lines. Though any one who looks at the photos will be able to see that even though the tires are blown out, the riigers are still supporting the boom.

I believe from the photos that some person rotated the boom toward the power lines and probably realised their mistake and jerked the rotation back the other way causing the load line to swing into the lines. The load line was severed and flew to the sidewalk. The operator was probably ok. While the three workers who were on the ground (it had been raining pretty heavy) were given the worst of the shock. The operator probably rotated the crane away from the lines after the load line was severed. Which is what we are trained to do. Stay on the crane and move the equipment out of contact if possible.

I have looked for any reports from OSHA or Florida Power and Light regarding this matter. But, as of yet have not found anything.

One of my co-workers is good friends with the guy and went to see him in the hospital. I will see him Monday and get more info.

There are pictures HERE.

Let me know what you guys think. also if anyone sees a report with more specifics, better pictures or knows where and when OSHA usually posts there findings please let me know.

Edited September 16, 2007 by Batch

[geraldi]

I don't know about Florida, but in KY he would be set up too close to the lines and the lines should have been sleeved by the power company. They will do that for free if you give them notice. If they drive by and they are not sleeved they can have you shut down.

I don't think lightning was involved either, but anything is possible I guess.

Edited September 16, 2007 by geraldi

[Batch]

I don't actually know about Florida. I see where FPL says that if power lines interfere with a project that they must be de-energized and grounded or rerouted at the contractors expense.

I can not find a price schedule or any more specific information. I have looked more than once over the years.

I did have lines sleeved in the past. But, I have no knowledge of whether there was a charge or not.

[Erik Sine]

Ouch!

[derf]

Ahhhh! .. Not good!

[onesource]

Looks a little close to me, maybe the transfer of electricity sounded like lightening dunno wasn't there.

It's great that no one died!

[Alaska_Sign_Guy]

It seems to me that this is the result of poor planning in the arrangement of the jobsite and positioning of the the crane. I'm really happy that no one was killed but this is going to reinforce the pressure that is already on for increased regulation on sign companies with cranes.

one of the pet peaves that I have had for a long time is that the work that we do tends to be under valued. Often this has a tendency to put pressure on sign companies to rush through projects in order to make them profitable.

In Alaska the law is that the crane shall be positioned so that no part of it be "CAPABLE" of coming within 10 ft of a power line.

[Neonleon2009]

Why was the crane in that position instead of over infront of the poles? I have learned over the 35 years that you always try and lift your load over the back of your truck not the front or sides if possible!

I had a helper do the exact same thing years ago.......I told my boss that the guy should not be operating the crane but he said just set it up for him so all he has to do is load up and rotate (I was on a aerial truck installing the flex faces) This guy rotated into 100K power lines with me on the trailer.....damnest thing I had ever seen......bolts of electricity coming from the riggers under the asphalt!

Everything went up......the tanks blew for the torches, the plastic 5 gallon gas tank melted on the bed of truck catching everything on fire. The airport thought a plane had gone down and sent their emergency trucks down the runway (we were very close to the runway)............I still remember this like it was yesterday. Lucky to be alive!

[Neonleon2009]

I agree with Alaska Sign Guy..........poor site coordination for the truck set up! But it is Miami were most sign guys are butchers and think because they have a couple of years experience they are Leadmen/Journeymen! So wrong it's scary.............

[Brian]

I don't understand why he wasn't set up behind the trailer where it looks like he has some skirting laying on the lot?

Here in Indiana if you don't have the lines shielded and they drive by you are shut down, even if they are shielded and you are closer than 10 ft your are shut down.

[Brian]

and yes in my photo I am close to the 10 ft that's why a lineman stayed there with me and allowed me to work

[Batch]

I pushed this issue at my job. I ordered and brought to work brochures from Florida Power and Light. They even had a rep from FPL come out to one of our safety meetings. The owner said the following week that we would have to work closer to the lines and be careful because rerouting was too costly.

[Brian]

yea hell service guys are cheaper than rerouting

[SignFabMan]

Why was the crane in that position instead of over infront of the poles? I have learned over the 35 years that you always try and lift your load over the back of your truck not the front or sides if possible!

I had a helper do the exact same thing years ago.......I told my boss that the guy should not be operating the crane but he said just set it up for him so all he has to do is load up and rotate (I was on a aerial truck installing the flex faces) This guy rotated into 100K power lines with me on the trailer.....damnest thing I had ever seen......bolts of electricity coming from the riggers under the asphalt!

Everything went up......the tanks blew for the torches, the plastic 5 gallon gas tank melted on the bed of truck catching everything on fire. The airport thought a plane had gone down and sent their emergency trucks down the runway (we were very close to the runway)............I still remember this like it was yesterday. Lucky to be alive!

You being on the trailer saved your life, had you been standing on the ground and touching the trailer or the truck you woulda been cooked. That type of line will actualy magnetize the boom and suck it right into the line from within 10ft. I used to work for the power company, and was standing within 20 feet from a 14,400 volt line when it fell to the ground. It actualy turned some sand that was in the grass to glass.