Underground Hazard Near-Miss: Duke Energy & Think Power Solutions Case Study

Customer

Duke Energy

Location

Charlotte, NC

Highlights

  • Averted Public Safety Incident through Early Field Detection
  • Effective Cross-Functional Escalation and Resolution
  • Institutional Learning & Field Vigilance Reinforcement

Preventing Public Safety Hazards in Underground Service Work

The Challenge

During a routine pre-construction site visit, a Duke Energy construction manager identified a serious near-miss hazard: an exposed underground secondary service with no cover or protective enclosure. The open conductor was fully accessible and posed a critical public safety risk-anyone passing by could have touched the energized service. Upon inspection, it was determined that the likely cause was vehicle impact, which had displaced the protective AGP (Above-Ground Protector) without triggering a repair response. This event underscored a gap in post-damage response and risk monitoring for energized underground services.

The Solution

  • The site lead notified the design engineer, who created a work order for repair and proper enclosure.
  • The hazard was flagged and temporarily monitored to prevent public contact.
  • The situation was logged as a preventable near miss and circulated internally to highlight the importance of field-level awareness.

Key Benefits

  • Public Safety Protection: Prevented potential electrocution or liability from an easily accessible energized cable. 
  • Rapid Hazard Escalation: Demonstrated how early detection and cross-functional communication lead to immediate corrective action. 
  • Vigilance Reinforcement: Reinforced the expectation that all field personnel-not just safety inspectors-must constantly assess for emerging risks. 
  • Process Feedback Loop: Prompted discussion on how post-impact checks and AGP reinstallation protocols could be improved.

The Results

  • The open service was documented and scheduled for repair before any incidents occurred.
  • This event is now used as a training reference for near-miss prevention and public-facing field hazard detection.
  • The case reinforces Duke Energy and Think Power Solutions’ commitment to a proactive EHS culture and zero-incident field practices.

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