Accident: 740605 - Mechanic'S Fingers Lacerated In Fan Blade
On July 19, 1999, Employee #1, an air conditioner mechanic, was working at a state/county fire station to correct an erratic shutdown problem on a rooftop air conditioning unit. He put his left hand on the unit to get a closer look and inadvertently got too close to the operating condenser fan. The blade lacerated his third, fourth, and fifth fingers. His third finger was struck at mid-joint and flesh was removed and tendons and nerves were cut; it was surgically repaired.
mechanic, air conditioner, repair, rotating knife, struck against, laceration, finger, lockout, fan blade, work rules
Accident: 14221295 - Electric Shock - Direct Contact With Energized Parts
An employee of a refrigeration company was performing maintenance work on an air conditioner. The air conditioner was energized while the employee was working on it. He contacted exposed live parts and was electrocuted.
electrical, electrocuted, elec circ part--misc, air conditioner, lockout, maintenance, e gi iv
Accident: 170572465 - Injured When Struck In Head By Fan Blades
At approximately 2:00 p.m. on March 11, 1997, Employee #1 entered the compressor of an air conditioning unit. The fan came on and he was struck in the head by the moving blades. There was no lockout/tagout program to ensure that power was disengaged.
air conditioner, struck by, fan, fan blade, head, lockout
Accident: 200670354 - Dies Of Heat Stroke Following Manual Labor
Employee #1 had been hired two days prior to the accident. On the day before the accident, he had been assigned to move insulation from the food court area to another location. The insulation was bundled and strapped, and the straps had cut into his hands. On the day of the accident, a laborer hired from a temporary agency was assigned by the foreman to help Employee #1 finish moving the insulation. They were working in a large indoor court with a high steel roof, dirt on the ground, and several concrete walkways. A corridor was separated from the main court by drywall and plastic sheets. An air current from an installed air conditioning could be felt along the corridor but not where the bales of insulation were located. Between 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., the helper and Employee #1 started carrying insulation between the two of them. There was a cooler with Gatorade nearby, and both men drank from the cooler. Employee #1 was seen drinking at least four cups and had set one over some materials. While the helper was gone, Employee #1 stood up and started walking in circles, slightly bent over and making a grunting sound, appearing as if he were drunk. At 8:30 a.m., he collapsed and 911 was called. He died of heat stroke brought on by exertion.
construction, heat stroke, manual mat handling, ventilation, high temperature, air conditioner, heat exhaustion
Accident: 979724 - Electric Shock - Direct Contact With Energized Parts
An employee was repairing an air conditioner that was not working. He had not deenergized the unit before he started working on it. He apparently contacted energized part inside the air conditioner and was electrocuted.
electrical, electrocuted, lockout, air conditioner, elec circ part--misc, repair, e gi iv
Accident: 884106 - Electric Shock - Direct Contact With Energized Parts
An employee was working on an air conditioning unit. He contacted an energized circuit part and received an electric shock. The employee was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
electrical, electrocuted, elec protect equip, air conditioner, lockout, elec circ part--misc, e gi iv
Accident: 924001 - Electric Shock - Ground Fault In Air Conditioner
An employee was sent on a service call to investigate an odor coming from an air-handling unit in the attic of a house. The employee arrived at the house, left the air conditioning system energized, and climbed a ladder into the attic. The air-handling unit had a quick disconnect switch, which could be used to deenergize the unit to work on it. The employee pulled the main cover off the unit to gain access to the wiring and motor inside. He apparently made some checks with his circuit tester, turning the disconnect switch on and off during this process. He decided to remove the motor, which was encased in a fan housing. The fan housing was grounded by metal-to-metal contact with the air-handling unit. When the employee removed the fan housing, the equipment ground became discontinuous. The employee then pulled some conductors out of the unit. The uninsulated ends of these conductors were touching the fan housing. Because of the limited crawl space around the air-handling unit, the employee was stooped over the fan housing and was apparently in contact with it. The attic on this June day was extremely hot and humid, causing the employee to perspire profusely. When the employee closed disconnect switch, the fan housing became energized, electrocuting the employee.
electrical, electrocuted, ground fault, equipment grounding, air conditioner, repair, lockout, e gi iv
Accident: 116512971 - Electric Shock - Direct Contact With Energized Parts
An employer was working on an air conditioner on a boat. He contacted energized parts and was electrocuted.
electrical, electrocuted, maintenance, air conditioner, elec circ part--misc, lockout, e gi iv
Accident: 200620110 - Electric Shock - Ground Fault In Air Conditioning Unit
An employee was sent to a residence on a service call for a central heating and air conditioning system. The employee was electrocuted when he touched the outside of the air conditioning unit, which apparently had been energized by a ground fault.
electrical, electrocuted, ground fault, equipment grounding, air conditioner, e gi vii
Accident: 14234678 - Electric Shock - Direct Contact With Energized Parts
A service worker and a supervisor for an air conditioning repair shop were performing a routine preseason preventive maintenance check on a rooftop condenser unit for an air conditioner. With the control cabinet cover removed, the service worker began taking current measurements. The top of this condensing unit (as the other similar units) stood about 0.6 meters (2 feet) above the tar-and-gravel-covered roof. To place the ammeter over the appropriate conductor with the air conditioner in operation, the employee had to maneuver his hands and arms around a 240-volt contact on a motor relay and two capacitors. He was in an unstable kneeling position and lost his balance, falling into the open cabinet. His right arm contacted the motor relay while his left arm was touching the grounded case of the unit. The employee was electrocuted.
electrical, electrocuted, maintenance, air conditioner, elec protect equip, electrical cabinet, elec circ part--misc, e gi ii
