State Report on Electrocution Provides Valuable Insight

The state of Wisconsin has released a report on its investigation of an electrocution that took the life of a 40-year-old electrician earlier this year at University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison. The report contains much detail about the incident, the investigation and recommendations for corrective actions that many SH&E professionals will find of interest.

According to the report, the university violated three safety codes:

• The university had not assessed the workplace for hazards or trained electricians on proper personal safety equipment based on those evaluations. 
• An annual inspection of energy control procedures for specific equipment had not been completed or documented. 
• The electrician had not received lockout/tagout training since 2007. 

A university inspection also found that the employee didn't properly isolate power or use the electrically insulated gloves he was provided.

As a result of the incident and subsequent investigations, UW-Madison says it will review the electric shop's existing electrical safety policy; review the PPE policy; evaluate and perform written hazard assessments for selecting PPE; conduct more frequent safety training; and arrange for first-aid training for electrical shop workers.

Download the full report here.