2004 Utility Electric Contact Incident Report. Regarding Personal Injury Incidents Reported to the OPUC in 2003

Transcription

1 2004 Utility Electric Contact Incident Report Regarding Personal Injury Incidents Reported to the OPUC in 2003

2 The Oregon Public Utility Commission does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services. This document is available in alternate formats by calling (voice), (TTY) or electronically via the Oregon PUC Web site at (click on Safety )

3 v 2004 Utility Electric Contact Incident Report (For Injury Incidents reported in 2003) Compiled March 2004 Prepared by: Bob Sipler, Utility Safety and Reliability Section Oregon Public Utility Commission 550 Capitol St. NE, Ste. 215, PO Box 2148 Salem, Oregon Telephone: Internet:

4 Table of Contents Page Introduction 1 Chart: Incidents Reported By Electric Utilities 20 Year History 2 Summary 3 Description of Charts 4 Chart: Injury Severity 5 Chart: Type of Electrical System Involved 6 Description of Charts 7 Chart: When Incidents Occurred - By Month 8 Chart: When Incidents Occurred - By Day of Week and Hour of Day 9 Chart: Demographic Areas: Rural, Suburban, Urban and Construction 10 Chart: Where Incidents Occurred - By Area 11 Area Map 12 Description of Charts 13 Chart: Who Was Involved in Accidents - By Activity Classification 14 Chart: Who Was Involved in Accidents - By Age 15 Description of Charts 16 Chart: Tree-Related 20 Year History 17 Chart: Crane-Related 20 Year History 18 Chart: Irrigation Pipe-Related 20 Year History 19 Chart: Antenna-Related 20 Year History 20 Breakdown by Activity Involved 21 Chart: Children in Trees 20 Year History 22 Recommendations to Electric Utilities by the OPUC Safety Staff 23 Target Your Education Efforts 24

5 Introduction Incident reporting to the PUC is required by ORS (IOU s), and OAR ( all operators - defined in OAR (3)). The PUC Utility Safety and Reliability Staff uses this information to help with National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) administration and to promote accident prevention. The safe transportation of electric energy includes more than just building and maintaining facilities to meet a safety code. It is very seldom that an accident occurs because utility facilities do not meet the safety code. Incidents usually occur because of an unsafe act, not an unsafe condition. There is often a lack of awareness of the degree of danger. The innocent looking wire that a bird can land on, with impunity, has the potential to end, or change forever, the life of a person who touches it. It is essential that all of us who live and work around power lines understand the danger, the possible consequences, and how to avoid it. The electric utilities have some responsibility to provide this education. This report contains a series of written analysis sheets with accompanying graphs. The end of the report contains a summary and recommendations. Electric operators can use this information to more accurately target their public information program and their worker safety efforts. (Chart on Page 2) The first chart shows incident levels since 1984 (20 years). There have been some parallels with the level of past construction activity in Oregon. The graph shows that while 2002 and 2003 were not statistically years with an extreme number of accidents, there were quite a number of serious and fatal injuries recorded. 1

6 Incidents Reported By Electric Utilities - 20 Year History p Serious Injury Contacts All Reported Contacts Fatalities Average All Reported Contacts=24.8 (Fatalities and Hospitalizations) * * * Yes, an average of almost 25 people injured each year! * * * 2

7 Summary Here are some basic facts for 2003 incidents: 1. There were 20 people who made Injury* electrical contacts in 17 separate incidents with electric utility facilities. Six were fatalities, seven were hospitalizations, and seven fell into the minor or non-injury categories. 2. Most of the incidents involved distribution voltage (between 600V and 30,000V) overhead wires. (See pg. 6) 3. About half of the contacts were work related in 1995 and again in In 1997, there were about twice the number of work-related incidents to non-work incidents (i.e., 29 to 14). That ratio changed to approximately 3 to 1 (work to non-work) in There were 19 work to 5 non-work incidents in 1999 (approximately 4 to 1), continuing this trend. This trend did not continue in 2000, as the ratio was 2 to 1 (i.e., 16 to 8). In 2001, the work- to non-work incidents were about even, 6/7, 2002 was 9/7, and 2003 had a 10/7 ratio. Non-work incident causes have been predominately tree-related for several years (not the case in 2003). 4. Historically, most (all in 2001) of the contact victims have involved males. An extremely high (3 of the 20) number of women were injured in All involved vehicles hitting facilities (one airplane and two cars). Again, in 2003, there were three female victims, one when a car hit a pole and two pedestrians who contacted a low wire. 5. Two workers were seriously injured when booms contacted lines while highway guardrail work was being done. 6. There were only two tree-related incidents in One was a person trimming a branch in a friend s yard near a transmission line. The other was a landscape tree trimmer who dropped a branch onto a distribution line. 7. An unusually high number of collision type accidents occurred in Three people were in a sailboat, two in an airplane, and there were two cars that hit poles. A high number were reported again in 2003 with three fatalities related to airplane collisions and another with an automobile accident. * Injury as defined in OAR

8 The next two charts show: Injury Severity - A Minor injury is usually a trip to the hospital, first-aid-type treatment, and same-day release. Noninjury cases often involve a person who does not need or want any treatment or examination but has had contact with high voltage and has felt a shock. Hospitalization requires at least an overnight stay for injury treatment. A precautionary, for-observation stay, can be considered a minor injury. Please note the high number of fatalities in Type of Electrical System Involved - This chart shows that most utility electrical incidents result from contacts with overhead distribution conductors. These are the typical high voltage distribution wires found in most neighborhoods and along roads. There were three other incidents that involved transmission voltages of 69 KV and 115 KV. There were no contacts in 2003 that involved facilities inside substations, lower voltage secondary and service lines, or underground distribution lines. Two line workers were injured when they made contact with de-energized lines that had static charges because of nearby lines that induced a voltage on the dead line. Serious injuries can occur when this type of contact is made. 4

9 Injury Severity Number of People Average (10-year Period) Severity of Injury Fatal Hospitalized Total Reportable Contacts (Includes "minor" & "non-injury" contacts) 5

10 Type of Electrical System Involved 2003 Number of Incidents to 30,000 Volt ,001 to 500,000 Volt 600 to 30,000 Volt 600 to 30,000 Volt Under 600 Volt Induction Charge 0 Overhead Distribution Overhead Transmission Substation Underground Distribution Secondary Service Static Type of Electrical Facilities 6

11 The next two charts relate to When Incidents Occurred: By Month In 2003, there was a high degree of variability from month to month with less of a seasonal peak. Incidents in 2002 were higher during the summer months, except August, and more like the typical pattern seen in most years. By Day of Week and by Hour of Day This chart shows when incidents generally occur. This correlation between on and off work hours to actual work-related activity is not accurate in all cases. 7

12 When Incidents Occurred - By Month 5 4 Number of Incidents Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

13 When Incidents Occurred By Day of Week and Hour of Day Number of Incidents Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday (Off Hours) Normal Work Hours Off Hours (Off Hours) (M - F, 7 AM - 5:30 PM) (M-F, 5:31 PM - 6:59 AM and Sat., Sun., & major holidays) Note: This chart does not indicate the number of work related or home/recreation related incidents. Some work related incidents occurred during "off" hours and some home/recreation incidents occurred during "work" hours. The total number of incidents did come out close to what is indicated with ten (10) work related incidents and seven (7) incidents that were not related to work activities. 9

14 The pie chart below indicates where people are injured in regard to Demographic Areas or Sites: Rural, Suburban, Urban, Industrial and Construction. Our statistics show rural areas typically have a higher rate than other types of areas. There were no accidents in suburban areas in 2003, which is unusual. Industrial - 1 Rural - 14 Urban - 5 Suburban - 0 Costruction - 0 The next chart and map indicates Where Contact Injuries Occurred: Five time periods are compared: 1999 through The most populated area of the state, the Northwest, has historically had the highest incident rate. 10

15 Where Contact Injuries Occurred - By Area 20 Northwest Southwest Northeast Southeast Number of People

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17 The next two charts indicate Who Was Involved In Accidents: By Activity Classification - This chart shows the trends over the last five years for the three categories. General worker accidents increased the last two years. This is hard to understand since general construction activity across the state doesn t seem to be increasing. By Age - This four-year chart shows the typical historical pattern where most of the incidents involve men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The pattern for 2001 and 2002 was somewhat different, in that injuries involving young men in the year old category were rare. The number of 2002 accidents to year olds was very high due to a single incident where three young men were injured in a boating accident has two unusual facts, with the 40s category at 0 and the 50s category very high at six injuries. 13

18 Who Was Involved In Accidents - 5 Year History By Activity Classification 16 Number of People General Public Line Worker Work Related (Residential, Recreation, etc.) (not Line) 14

19 Who Was Involved In Accidents - By Age 4-Year Comparison Number of People Age Bracket (The age of one person was not reported.) 15

20 The next four charts track 20 years of incidents related to certain equipment or activities. Tree-Related This category is, on average, where most people are injured. There has been an average of 5.25 treerelated contacts per year over the last twenty years. Many of these contacts involved homeowners trimming or falling trees in their yards. The majority of the remaining contacts were non-utility tree trimmers (landscapers) and loggers. If utility customers are going to get injured with high voltage lines, the chances are very high that it will be connected to a tree in their yard. The 2003 total of two injuries in this category is quite low. Crane-Related - Crane contact has been a continuing source of concern needing special attention by the electric utilities and Oregon OSHA. Over this 20-year period, there has been an average of 4.15 people injured each year. Here are some conclusions taken from recent crane incidents. Three of the five crane-related accidents for 2003 are digger booms on a track hoe or backhoe. The two fatalities were separate accidents involving cranes being used to work on highway guardrails. Crane contacts have been the most likely incident type to result in multiple victims. Line visibility is not a problem in most cases. Most operators know of the line s presence. The types of crane involved in line contacts are highly varied. Operator experience and training is highly varied. Moving cranes in the up position is dangerous. Cement pumper incidents are becoming more frequent (two in 1999 and another in 2001) Irrigation Pipe-Related - These incidents usually occur when farm workers raise pipes vertically to clear animals or debris. When a power line is above them, there are disastrous results. Constant utility education during certain times of year can help raise awareness and prevent accidents. Radio announcements seem to work well. Our investigations do reveal that even with education and awareness it is easy for people to just forget about the presence of overhead lines. Public service announcements on Spanish-speaking radio stations may be helpful. Two young men made this type of contact in 2003 when they tried to shake out a rat. They were aware of the line but lost control of the pipe. Their injuries, fortunately, seemed to be fairly minor. Antenna-Related - Antenna contact is another area of concern that usually involves members of the public installing or maintaining equipment near homes. 16

21 Tree Incidents Reported - 20 Year History Number of People Fatalities Total Contacts Annual Average Total Contacts =

22 Crane Incidents Reported - 20 Year History Number of People Fatalities Total Contacts Annual Average Total Contacts =

23 Irrigation Pipe Incidents Reported - 20 Year History Number of People Fatalities Total Contacts Annual Average Total Contacts =

24 Antenna Incidents Reported - 20 Year History Number of People Fatalities Total Contacts Annual Average Total Contacts =

25 Year 2003 Breakdown by Activity Involved (By Person Injured) Note: Some incidents fit into multiple categories. Tree Trimming/Falling or Other Contact Direct Contact By landscape tree trimmer 1 Vehicle hit pole-wire down-driver contact 1 By homeowner s friend 1 Power lineman contacts 3 Excavation/Dig-ins 0 Plane struck lines 3 Construction/Maintenance Pedestrians contact low conductor 2 Roofer metal roofing into line 1 Vehicle collision Irrigation Pipe 2 Aircraft 3 Crane/Lift/Digger booms Car hit pole 1 Cranes (Highway Guardrail work) 2 Homeowner (friends contractor) Diggers (Backhoe/Track hoe) into overhead lines 3 Tree related 2 Vehicle Antenna 1 Car hit pole 1 Recreation Dump truck (raised bed) 1 Shaking rat from irrigation pipe 2 Airplanes 3 Walking 2 Line/Utility Related Work Flying (ultra-light) 1 Overhead line work (electric) 3 Installing CB antenna 1 21

26 Children in Trees - 20 Years High Voltage Line Contacts in Oregon 3 Number of Children Injured (18 years and younger) Average Injury over 20-year period is about one every other year or.55 per year. This last chart, Children in Trees, reflects some serious statistics for an activity that concerns us all. Although there were no injuries in this category in the last four years, we cannot afford to become complacent. This is an important safety issue every year. Staff believes that consistent good tree-to-line clearances being maintained across the state is directly contributing to these excellent results. Remember the years 1980 through 1983 when there were 12 children injured this way. 22

27 Recommendations to Electric Utilities by the OPUC Safety Staff 1. Continue the effective general safety education programs now in place. These efforts are preventing accidents. Ongoing programs for schools are particularly encouraged. All grade school students in Oregon should receive power line safety education at least twice during these years. Some excellent bill stuffers have been developed and we recommend their use for educating customers about common hazards. 2. Focus educational programs to: a. Target construction workers where construction is anticipated. A special emphasis should be placed on work using crane or lift equipment. Crane related accidents have been very high when construction levels are up. Educate about dig-in hazards and one-call notification. b. Warn homeowners about electrical hazards related to trees. This is a key area needing emphasis to every customer. c. Continue education for agricultural workers. PUC staff specifically recommends broadcasting messages on Spanish language-speaking radio stations. Irrigation pipe accident prevention should particularly be emphasized. Stacking or laying out pipe under power lines should be discouraged (per OSHA rules). These incidents were high in 2000 and continue to be a problem area. 3. Emphasize utility worker safety programs to reduce the number of contact incidents. A significant number have been experienced in the last 11 years (total 59). Consider the expanded use of rubber gloves in any primary area, overhead and underground, energized or not. Trends indicate that accidents related to underground systems are on the rise. 4. Notification of utilities should be encouraged prior to all work or activities, which will occur near both overhead and underground lines. An overhead notification system coupled with the statewide underground one-call system is recommended. A system was instituted in 1997 related to logging operations. Each electrical utility should consider these recommendations with the perspective of knowing your local conditions and activities, priorities, and potential hazards. Our hope is that this information will help you develop an effective accident prevention program. 23

28 Target Your Education Efforts Use programs that have been successful in the past. Be creative in presenting information in attention getting ways. Try new ideas. Target problem areas. (Customers trimming their trees, cranes, work sites, and dig-ins.) Reward creative thinking and those who spot potential problem areas. Reward safe workers, especially those who consistently encourage safe practices for their crews. Give all employees the chance to know safety basics and be part of the accident prevention team. Electrical safety training should be a part of every grade school child s education at least twice. Consider using safety related bill stuffers regularly. Caution customers about tree related hazards. Encourage and participate in at least one (per year) utility worker safety day (or half day) with all operators who share the overhead and underground rights of way with you. Public Safety Education is an essential responsibility of the electric utility industry. 24