NORTHERN STATES POWER CO

ELECTRIC SHOCK - CONTACT WITH OVERHEAD LINE THRU NEW LINE

A CREW OF THREE LINEMEN WERE REROUTING A THREE-PHASE OVERHEAD POWER LINE IN AN I NDUSTRIAL PARK. THE CENTER PHASE HAD BEEN TIED INTO THE DEAD END POLE ON THE WES T END. THE FIELD PHASE WAS GOING TO BE TIED IN NEXT. IT HAD BEEN TIED OFF TEMPOR ARILY TO THE BUTT OF THE WEST POLE. THE CREW WAS AWARE THAT CLEARANCES WERE TIGH T BETWEEN THE NEW CONDUCTORS AND THE EXISTING CONDUCTORS. HOWEVER, THE NEW LINES WERE NOT GROUNDED, NOR WERE INSULATING BARRIERS INSTALLED BETWEEN THE EXISTING LINES AND THE NEW ONES. ONE OF THE LINEMEN CLIMBED THE EAST POLE TO WATCH THE CL EARANCES AND THE SAG OF THE LINE. ONE OTHER LINEMAN WAS IN THE BUCKET TRUCK ON T HE WEST END OF THE NEW LINE. THE LINEMAN ON THE GROUND WAS THE "EMPLOYEE IN CHAR GE". THIS EMPLOYEE WENT TO RELEASE THE FIELD PHASE SO THAT THE LINEMAN IN THE BU CKET TRUCK COULD TAKE IT UP TO BE TIED IN. THE EMPLOYEE IN CHARGE, WHO WAS NOT W EARING RUBBER INSULATING GLOVES OR SLEEVES, GRABBED THE NEW CONDUCTOR WITH HIS L EFT HAND. WHEN THE LINE WAS RELEASED, THE CONDUCTOR RIPPLED AND CONTACTED AN EXI STING CONDUCTOR NEAR THE EAST POLE, ABOUT 500 FEET AWAY. THE LINEMAN IN CHARGE W AS ELECTROCUTED. THE CURRENT ENTRY AND EXIT SITES WERE HIS LEFT HAND AND LEFT FO OT. (FIVE HOLES WERE BLOWN IN HIS LEFT FOOT.)