Defective Lift Swings Into Line

A defective aerial lift swung out of control and into a high voltage line, killing an electrical worker.

The lift vehicle used by an electric utility company had a problem with the handling of its boom swing mechanism. The employees knew about it and had complained. The employer took the complaint to the manufacturer, who sent a representative out to look things over. The representative said there was nothing wrong with it, and the machine went back into service. The victim was trying to maneuver the lift bucket when it suddenly swung into contact with the power line. A co-worker on the ground saw the victim engulfed in a ball of flame.

If you know equipment to be defective or dangerous, don’t use it. Keep pushing until the item is replaced or correctly repaired by a qualified, authorized person. Many fatalities involve equipment that someone knew, or suspected, was unsafe.