The employee was cutting and removing cable in the Slow Extracted Beam experimental area encompassed by Building 912. This area is under long-term renovation, and has not been operating since September 1999. The employee was brought to the Clinic complaining about a blind spot in the corner of his right eye. After an examination showed no damage to the employee's eye, the Clinic released the employee back to work without restriction and the employee returned to work at 1600 hours. Renovation involves removal of completed experiments and associated equipment in preparation for new experiments.
Work involves disconnecting electrical services and removing all cables and tray.
The work is sequenced through a work order process. They were working on a metal platform, with rails, which is elevated above the operating floor on top of concrete shielding blocks. One technician was performing all the cable cutting, using a cutter with two-ft. long fiberglass handles. He reports that he placed one handle of the cutter on the platform and held the other handle in his right hand. The experimental area was not operating.