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  1. #1
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    Default Underground accident at Ottawa Hydro

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    I heard some news that on this past Wednesday 2 fellas from Ottawa Hydro got burned. The details are sketchy, seems they were energizing an underground vault that they had just replaced a transformer in. It seems they missed removing a set of grounds on the secondary buss, then when they livened up from a switchgear inside the vault , the switchgear blew up on them. !st and 2nd degree burns to their faces, and all protective gear worked as it should. Both fellas are in the hosp[tal and are going to be fine.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by rob8210 View Post
    I heard some news that on this past Wednesday 2 fellas from Ottawa Hydro got burned. The details are sketchy, seems they were energizing an underground vault that they had just replaced a transformer in. It seems they missed removing a set of grounds on the secondary buss, then when they livened up from a switchgear inside the vault , the switchgear blew up on them. !st and 2nd degree burns to their faces, and all protective gear worked as it should. Both fellas are in the hosp[tal and are going to be fine.
    Amazing that the equipment that was susposed to protect them,winds up being a cause for the accident.....these mistakes we make are sometimes painful.....glad that they will be ok.

  3. #3
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    No new official information to report. I have heard the fellas are out of the hospital.

  4. #4
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    Man, I hate hearing this kind of stuff!!! Glad they're gonna be ok!
    "It is not the critic who counts:The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena" Teddy Roosevelt

  5. Default Maybe this would prevent a recurrence

    I worked for a utility that had a system whereby every ground that was placed had to be accounted for before any re-energization could start.
    The system went like this;
    The utility had cards printed off that had serial numbers on multiple sections that were perforated for tearing off individual sections. The sections were about 3 inches square and had a hole on the section so that they could be attached to each grounding set. Each section had a corresponding serial number. The material that the information was printed on was robust cardboard so that it was weather resistant.
    I would imagine these days it could be made from plastic.
    If a grounding set was to be installed then a section of the card went with the grounds. Four or five sets could be placed under the same serial number.
    Once work had been completed and an order to remove grounds was issued then all the sections of the master card had to be back with the clearance holder before the apparatus could be energized.
    The Old Lineman

  6. #6

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    I just have to ask......what kind/type of grounds were being used....was it the old style or the vice-grip types...or was it the large hot line clamp styles.....seem like if the grounds were tightened to the max,that should have tripped or locked out the source of feed.

  7. #7
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    Well , Reppy , I am not sure what type of grounds they were using, but the rules around here require the large duckbill clamps. I still have not heard anything more on what happened. Also, Old Lineman, most places I have worked have on their paperwork an area for recording the number of grounds installed and removed. Now I have never seen serial numbers for grounds but in a way that seems like a heck of an idea, almost fool proof. I say almost because I have been on jobs in the past where grounds were recorded as removed, then another crew was sent to energize, decided to take the time to check and found that they were not.

  8. #8

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    Ive also never seen any serial numbers on grounds..............I shouldnt say this ..........but...........in this business I dont know if anything is fool-proof....with all the safety rules in place we still find ways to get ourselves into accidents......human nature,I guess.

  9. Default serial number placement

    Quote Originally Posted by reppy007 View Post
    Ive also never seen any serial numbers on grounds..............I shouldnt say this ..........but...........in this business I dont know if anything is fool-proof....with all the safety rules in place we still find ways to get ourselves into accidents......human nature,I guess.
    The serial numbers were only on the sheeting that was held by the supervisor and was duplicated on every tag that went with the grounding set. It wasn't on the grounds and once used everything is discarded.
    The Old Lineman

  10. #10
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    I guess I shouldn't have called them serial numbers. But I do like the idea, it would be an almost foolproof way to keep track of all your grounds.

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