title: Lockout/tagout accident investigation.
abstract: When I was in boot camp, our drill instructor told us that assume makes an ass out of u and me. It was true then, and it is true today. In this instance, assumptions came into play several times, both by the worker and by the companies involved. The good news is that it did not result in a fatality, but that does not relieve the pain and suffering that the employee had to endure. This same type of scenario is likely repeated at many job sites throughout the United States. Multiple contractors, dozens--maybe hundreds--of workers, power system equipment and devices; all of these have to be taken into consideration when performing maintenance activities. It can become a blur. People are people, and people make mistakes. That is why we have OSHA regulations, NFPA 70E, company procedures, policies, etc. Most if not all of us have either been involved in accidents or know people who have been. It's not like it's a secret that people make mistakes, but talk to some and they seem to think only others have that failing. Safety is not about just any one procedure or rule. It's about slowing down, making a plan, and executing that plan. There are plenty of tools available to help us: policies, procedures, codes, standards, federal regulations, and state and local laws. I am not about to say that the worker involved in this incident was not taking safety seriously, but he failed to follow some fundamental safety rules like test-before-touch. If he had taken just that one step, there would be nothing to write about.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055615:Electrical Equipment and Supplies / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008283:Maintenance; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration