Recent Investigations - Industrial Equipment Accidents

 

 Excavator Accident

Electrical arcing occurred when a high voltage/high current cross country power line contacted the boom of a CAT excavator.  Current flowed throughout the entire excavator in passing to the ground. In fact, the current passed through the CAT excavator "crystallized" the ground around the excavator.  Metallurgical evaluation of various CAT excavator parts revealed that considerable arcing damage occurred at component part joints and junctions.

Cat Excavator
Photograph A: Cat Excavator at accident scene, where a high voltage/high
 current power line contacted the excavator boom.

Main Bearing Arcing Damage
Photograph B: Main bearing arcing damage.

Arcing Damage on Electrical Conduit
Photograph C: Arcing damage on electrical conduit

After metallurgical analysis, it was concluded that replacement of individual arc damage parts would be more costly than merely replacing the entire CAT excavator.

 

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Dr. Craig JernerDr. R. Craig Jerner, Ph.D., PE specializes in accident investigation and metallurgical failure analysis, with over 30 years experience as a metallurgical consultant and accident investigator. He has testified as a metallurgical expert in over 250 depositions and more than 70 court appearances. If you or someone you know should need the services of  Dr. Jerner and J.E.I. Metallurgical, please visit our web site at the buttons below, or e-mail Dr. Jerner --- r.c.jerner@metallurgist.com


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