ORLANDO, Fla. — Internal failures, safety gaps, and a lack of training led to an explosion at an Orlando Utilities Commission substation last year that sent three workers to the hospital, according to a newly released investigative report that only Channel 9 Anchor Daralene Jones obtained.
One of the workers suffered permanent injuries.
Channel 9 first reported on the explosion in August. A 22-page investigative report now outlines a series of problems that investigators say contributed to the incident, including outdated and inconsistently enforced work procedures, limited training, poor equipment maintenance, and unclear personal protective equipment requirements.
The explosion happened at a substation on West Robinson Street in downtown Orlando while a crew was performing routine maintenance on four capacitor banks.
According to the report, the team mistakenly used the wrong tool to test and verify that the electrical voltage had been de-energized. The line remained live, triggering an arc flash that investigators described as causing the explosion.
One employee was temporarily incapacitated and suffered severe burns.
Investigators also found that the crew entered a restricted work area without the required personal protective equipment, including flame-resistant clothing, safety shoes, and eye protection. The report states workers did not have a full understanding of the electrical hazards present at the site.
The investigation found there was no pre-job safety briefing to address all potential hazards. It also determined that on-the-job training occurred without ensuring appropriate safety controls were in place.
Investigators concluded that systemic cultural issues, along with insufficient and outdated procedures, placed the three workers at risk.
Channel 9 anchor and investigative reporter Daralene Jones has requested additional records from the Orlando Utilities Commission following the report’s findings.
The report highlights concern about outdated procedures and describes what investigators call cultural complacency, gaps in safety practices and insufficient training. It says those issues underscore the need for organizational changes within the utility.
Officials with the Orlando Utilities Commission have not yet publicly responded to the report’s findings.
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