NOVA SAFETY FLASH

LESSONS LEARNED

Injury: Left shin laceration and left foot contusion

Equipment Involved: Electrical cable puller

Type of Work: Pulling cable between manholes

The Accident: Employee was operating an electrical cable puller. The puller was mounted on two round pipes welded in a T formation. This pipe was set up across the open manhole to facilitate cable pulling. This same operation had been conducted during the morning part of this shift. Just prior to lunch the work moved to this new location. When pulling operation was started, the cable puller flipped over striking the operator on the left shin and foot, causing a 2.75cm laceration and a severely bruised foot.

Direct Cause: The cable puller was mounted on round pipe which allowed it to become loose during pulling operations. The torque forces on the puller caused it to rotate rapidly around the pipe and strike the employee’s leg and foot.

Note: It has also been noted by Nova’s Electrical Engineer that this puller may have been too light for the size of the cable being pulled at the distances involved.

Root Cause: Improper tool set-up and use.

Lessons Learned: During cable pulling operations it is imperative that the puller is mounted on a solid, immovable device that can accommodate the torque created by the rotating drum as it tugs on the cable being pulled. The puller mounting has a flat surface bottom that should be mounted on another flat surface. Holes are provided to secure the puller to bolts that may be set into the manhole’s concrete collar. Bolting the machine to square channel or beams that span the manhole may also provide adequate stability. Please look at all similar operations on your site and ensure you have planned an accident like this out of your project.