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 that passed through the CAT excavator "crystallized" the ground around the excavator. A view of the subject excavator at the accident scene is shown in Photograph A.

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

Metallurgical evaluation of various CAT excavator parts revealed that considerable arcing damage occurred at component part joints and junctions. Photograph B shows engine main bearing arcing damage.

Photograph B: Main bearing arcing damage.

Photograph C shows external electrical arcing damage to electrical conduit on the subject excavator.

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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