Background on the video
Patrick Cudahy, LLC
One Sweet Apple-Wood Lane
Cudahy, WI 53110
Accident: 200122596 - Three Employees Are Burned By Electrical Arc Blast
Accident: 200122596 -- Report ID: 0523400 -- Event Date: 05/26/2003
Inspection Open Date
305278111 05/27/2003
SIC
2011
Establishment Name
Patrick Cudahy, Inc.
On May 26, 2003, a crew of electricians and utilities personnel for Patrick Cudahy,
Inc., had completed an annual cleaning of electrical utilization substations #1 and
#2 within the company food processing facilities. To facilitate cleaning of the
substations, the plant was switched from outside utility supplied power to supplied
power from emergency generators. After the substations were cleaned, the
process to switch from the generator power back to the outside supplied utility
power was started. When powering down of the generators to facilitate the switch
back to the utility supplied power, the auto switching mechanism would not
disengage. It was determined that the switching problem was isolated to the
outside switchgear that housed a three phase in-feed power supply of 13.2 KV and
a 120 volt, 4 amp switchgear motor. During the trouble shooting process to
engage the switchgear to switch over to utility power, a ground fault or phase to
phase fault occurred causing an arc flash and blast to occur engulfing the Electrical
Supervisor, Lead Electrician and Instrumentation Mechanic in fire. The Employees
received body encompassing second and third degree burns. All three employees
were hospitalized for treatment of their burns.
Keywords:
electric arc, burn, electric generator, switchgear, electrician, fire,
cleaning
Inspection Age Sex
Degree
Nature
Occupation
1 305278111
Hospitalized
injury
Burn/Scald(Heat)
Occupation not
reported
2 305278111
Hospitalized
injury
Burn/Scald(Heat)
Occupation not
reported
3 305278111
Hospitalized
injury
Burn/Scald(Heat)
Occupation not
reported