Author -
Submitted By -Pole Change Incident
MY NAME IS HOWARD. I PUSH A CREW FOR NORTH HOUSTON POLE LINE CORP. A FEW WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A ACCIDENT ON MY CREW. IT WAS A EASEMENT POLE, SINGLE PHASE DEADEND WITH A SLACK SPAN. THE POLE WAS ROTTEN AT THE BUTT, FOUR FEET OFF THE GROUND. IT WAS PAPER ON THE INSIDE WITH ABOUT AN INCH OF SHELL ON THE OUTSIDE. WE PUT A CROSSARM IN THE GROUND AND BOLTED IT TO THE POLE. THERE WAS ALSO A 4/0 SEC. DEADEND WITH A SLACK #4 AND TWO HOUSE DROPS. WE TOOK ONE DROP DOWN TO SET THE POLE. THAT SAME MORNING THE SCHOOL THAT MY YOUNGEST SON ATTENDS CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT MY SON HAD A TEMP. OF 102 DEGREES AND THAT HE NEEDED TO BE PICKED UP. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS IN A SITUATION THAT I COULD NOT LEAVE UNTIL THIS POLE WAS SET. WE KILLED THE PRI. AND SET THE POLE. THERE WAS A SPLICE IN THE WIRE (#4AL) ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE D.E. AFTER THE POLE WAS SET I LEFT TO GET MY SON. MY CREW TRANSFERRED THE PRI. AND HAD THE SEC. X-FERED WHEN ALL THIS OCCURRED. ONE LINEMAN WAS HEATING UP THE PRI., AN APPRENTICE WAS ON THE POLE HOOKING UP THE DROP, GRUNT ON THE GROUND PUTTING THE FINAL JACK ON THE GUY, A SECOND LINEMAN WAS WATCHING THE APE. WHEN THE PRI. CAME HOT (7200), THE GRUNT PULLING THE GUY GOT HIS FINAL CLICKS AND THE WIRE BROKE. IT DID NOT PULL OUT OF THE AUTOMATIC SPLICE. THERE WAS A BAD SPOT 18-24" INSIDE THE SPLICE. IT COULD NOT BE SEEN FROM THE GROUND. THE APPRENTICE WAS ABLE TO CLIMB DOWN ON HIS OWN. HE RECEIVED A ENTRY WOUND ON HIS ELBOW AND AN EXIT WOUND ON THE INSIDE OF HIS LEG. DAMN LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I KNOW THAT WE ALL TRY OUR BEST TO BE SAFE. THERE ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN NOT PREVENT. HE IS BACK TO WORK NOW AND IS DOING FINE. LETS ALL BE CAREFUL AND GO HOME ALIVE. THANKS G-MAN IN HOUSTON...