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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