APRIL 13, 2015
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA. (CBS)
Two construction workers were injured, one critically, by an
electrical shock at the King of Prussia Mall early Monday morning.
The incident happened at about 7:20 a.m. inside the “Court”
side of the King of Prussia Mall.
According to investigators, two construction workers were
inside a “Scissor jack lift” as they were cutting electric cables beneath the
second story floor of the existing section of the Mall, at the juncture of the
newly-constructed portion.
An energized 13,000 volt, 200 amp cable was cut, resulting
in the electrocution of one man and the slight injury of the second man.
When emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found a
36-year-old male unresponsive on the ground. Officer moved the victim to a safe
area, began CPR and utilized an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in
efforts to revive the victim.
The victim was taken to Paoli Memorial Hospital where he is
listed in critical condition.
The second victim, a 27-year-old male, was also taken to
Paoli Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
A third man male also taken to Paoli Hospital for
precautionary treatment.
All three men are employed by Omni Electric Company based in
Collegeville.
The company released the following statement:
“The Union electrical contractor Omni Electric performing
the last of four primary electrical service relocations over the past few weeks
had an accident early this morning. Unfortunately one electrician was seriously
injured. The electrical service to one of the areas of the mall was restored an
hour later than originally planned as a result of the incident. Everyone at the
mall and involved in the project are primarily focus on the injured individual
and are hoping for a fast recovery. A full investigation is being undertaken to
evaluate what occurred.”
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HAZARDS OF SCISSOR
LIFTS
Organizations that have workers, including students who are
employees, who use scissor lifts to film events and functions must address the
hazards associated with this equipment. These hazards can include:
The lift falling over or a worker slipping off the platform
if the lift is:
- used during bad weather or high winds
- positioned on soft or uneven ground, or on weak utility covers (e.g., underground sprinkler valve boxes)
- overloaded with heavy objects
- used with guardrails removed
- driven over uneven, unstable ground, or surface in poor condition, with the lift in an elevated position, or
- used with brakes that are not properly set
- A worker being electrocuted if the lift makes contact with electrical lines.
How to Reduce Hazards
Establish and follow safe work practices that include, but
are not limited to:
- Inspecting controls and components before use
- Selecting work locations with firm and level surfaces away from hazards that can cause the lift to be unstable (e.g., drop-offs or holes, slopes, bumps or ground obstructions, or debris)
- Selecting work locations that are clear of electrical power sources (e.g., power lines, transformers) – by at least 10 feet – and other overhead hazards (e.g., other utilities, branches, overhangs, etc.)
- Operating lifts only during weather conditions that are safe for use (e.g., not in high winds, rain, snow, sleet, etc.)
- Moving the lift to/from a work location safely, with the lift lowered, unless following safe practices allowed by the manufacturer
- Setting the breaks and stabilizing the lift before raising it
- Ensuring that the lift is not overloaded
- Working safely from the lift (e.g., do not remove guardrails or stand on them for extra height)
- Reporting problems and malfunctions
- Train workers on, and make sure workers follow, established safe work practices and manufacturers’ recommendations for operating scissor lifts safely
- Allow only trained workers to use scissor lifts, and make sure those workers show they can use a scissor lift properly
- Make sure that the scissor lift has a guardrail system that protects workers from falling, and
- Test, inspect, and maintain scissor lifts according to the manufacturer’s recommendations
Additional Resources
Many scissor lifts are covered under OSHA’s scaffolding
standard. For technical assistance, please refer to OSHA’s eTool and Other
Resources on Scaffolding.
The Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration
issued a letter and outreach materials on Safe Work Practices for Lifts.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has
standards for manufacturing, owning, and operating scissor lifts. They can be
found in ANSI A92.3-2006 (Manually Propelled Elevating Aerial Platforms) and
A92.6-2006 (Self-Propelled Elevating Work Platforms).
The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has a
training program for aerial and scissor lifts. For a fee, successful trainees
receive a one day, hands-on aerial lift training and are awarded the PAL Card
(Powered Access Licence) as proof of training. More information is available at
IPAF’s website.
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