Cal/OSHA Lockout Tagout

Case Study: In 2006, a 43-year-old man was working on a lighting circuit that had been damaged during building renovations. He was installing temporary wiring to replace the wiring that had been damaged. He had been instructed by his supervisor, a licensed electrician, to shut-off the power to the lighting circuit at the junction box, but this had not been done and no lockout/tagout procedure had been followed. The man was electrocuted when a tool in his hand came into contact with an energized element of the circuit.

In the investigation following the man's death, it was determined that his employer had properly observed the California standards for employee safety training. This training had included lockout/tagout procedures. It was also found that the worker's circuit tester, used to verify before working that a circuit is de-energized, was in his locker.

Key Takeaways: In this incident, the employee appears to have disregarded both his training and smart work practices, and he lost his life because of this. The man's supervisor also bears responsibility, however, for his assumption that his instructions had been carried out. Working with electricity requires both employers and employees to be active participants in safety.