Tauscher v. Puget Sound Power & Light Co.

This case involves a wrongful death action brought by the estate of an employee of an independent contractor against an electric company. At issue is whether a public utility owes a nondelegable duty to employees of the utility's independent contractors to take reasonable precautions against work which is inherently dangerous or to ensure compliance with the safety mandates of statutes and administrative rules. The trial court found no such duty and granted summary judgment on the pleadings in favor of Puget Sound Power and Light Company (Puget Power). We affirm.

In July of 1978, Potelco, Inc.…