Improper Breaker Installation Causes Electrical Fault and Second-Degree Burns

Location: Duncan
Regulated industry sector: Electrical – Low voltage electrical system (30V to 1000V)

Incident overview

A worker at a restaurant caused a line-to-line ground fault when installing an unapproved breaker into a 200amp, 208v panel. The worker was a new Journeyman electrician, there was no Field Safety Representative (FSR) in charge of the work, and no permits were obtained. The worker did not de-energize the panel, resulting in the fault that caused damage to the panel and second-degree burns to the worker’s hands.