Deadly ground rod accident today

[George Stolz]

Around here, gas lines are supposed to be 3' deep, but since they are generally installed well prior to final grade, they can be extremely shallow.

 

[mdshunk]

The article that came out on this in the morning edition of that paper actually listed the gas worker that was killed as 'missing'. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006611210392 It took a while to gather up enough to say that they had a second body by the afternoon edition.

 

[JohnJ0906]

Gives me another reason to be greatful on Thanksgiving morning....

 

[allenwayne]

The gas companies here now install plastic welded pipe for gas services.They trench 3 ft deep but like stated this is way before a final grade.I`m waiting for some poor landscape guy to dig a hole for a tree and get BBQ`d.Plastic pipe,metal shovel or ground rod = trouble.

 

[ryan_618]

I have a friend of mine that was doing a service inspection on a house one time that nearly killed him. The trench for the service lateral conduit was open when arrived, and while doing his inspection he dropped the tip of his screwdriver in it. He decided to jump into the trench instead of walking all the back around and walking into the trench. He was so focused on the tip of the screwdriver that he didn't pay attention to the fact that there was a ground rod in the trench that ws driven before the trench was excavated, leaving about four feet of it exposed. He jumped into the trench and recieved the ground rod, clamp, and 6 AWG conductor between his testicles and anus. At the emergency room they discovered that the rod penetrated 17 inches into his chest cavity, and nearly exited through his arm pit (again, remember this is with the rod + clamp + wire). He was able to pull himself off the rod and call 911 before he colapsed. Amazingly, he lived through it.

 

[iwire]

He was able to pull himself off the rod and call 911 before he colapsed.

Makes Rambo sound like a wuss.

Glad he made it; sorry he had to endure that.

 

[George Stolz]

That is a horrible, horrible story. Impalement stories always ring stronger with me than others. I puckered in more than a few places when I read that.