Worker’s Electrocution Costs Power Company $110,000

After a severe thunderstorm knocked out the power, workers went to a substation to restore it. They tried to de-energize equipment so that they could replace a damaged insulator. But some of the equipment was still energized when a worker started replacing the insulator. He came into contact with the energized equipment and was electrocuted. According to the MOL, the substation didn’t have a current single line diagram to assist workers in developing a work plan, identifying hazards and fully de-energizing the equipment. As a consequence, they didn’t have the information they needed to perform their work in a safe manner. The power distribution company pleaded guilty to failing to provide such information and was fined $110,000 [Westario Power Inc., Govt. News Release, April 19, 2012].