It was quite a 'bizarre' accident, and unlikely to be repeated in exactly that way. However, it certainly does prove it is a potential hazard to leave metal studs ungrounded. Regrettably, improperly installed wiring is all too common in residential construction, and all too commonly overlooked at the inspection stage. The improper step here appears to be the romex was not clipped or connected as it should have been under code, thus was too close to the drywall. When the screw was driven in, just the point pierced the romex, thus creating the short that energized the studs. This wiring error would be easy to overlook, and evidently was overlooked at the rough-in inspection. To further compound matters, it was passed even at the final inspection, two weeks after the man was killed. Hard to know what make of that one.
In any event, quite a few code provisions are included to deal with unlikely events. It seems to me that since there is very little, if any, cost associated with bonding a metal stud partition, and the risk of electrocution certainly is present in worst case circumstances, why shouldn't it be a code requirement?
You might want to contact the widow of the man killed and ask her if perhaps it is paranoid for anyone to be concerned about this hazard.
Last edited by Bigplanz; 03/19/09 06:33 PM.
