A Pennsylvania workplace accident can occur at any time and can be the result of a multitude of causes. However, one common on-the-job injury involves contact with electricity. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration electrical injuries are among the “fatal four” most common types of construction workplace fatalities.
Electrical injuries caused the deaths of 69 construction workers in 2011, representing 9 percent of all fatal construction accidents that year, according to OSHA. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 44 percent of electrical accident fatalities from 1992 through 2010 were the result of workers coming into contact with overhead power lines. Contact with wiring, transformers or other electrical components is the second leading cause of electrical fatalities, accounting for 27 percent of the deaths from electrical accidents.
May was National Electrical Safety Month throughout the country, when safety advocates sought to raise awareness among homeowners, workers and employers about the need to be safe around electricity.
The Energy Education Council suggests the following when working around electrical power lines:
- Look up and around you.
- Keep equipment and your body at least 10 feet from power lines.
- Be careful when working on or around a roof.
- Never climb trees near power lines.
- Never trim trees near power lines.
- Always follow safety procedures.
However, that said, according to Barnett Electrical and other qualified electrical service providers, if your job requires you to work around any type of electricity, it is crucial to follow all OSHA safety regulations. Sometimes, electrical injuries happen even if you have made every effort to avoid an accident.
If you are the victim of a Pennsylvania workplace electrical injury, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. If you have questions or concerns about your legal rights to compensation, contact the Pennsylvania workplace injury lawyers at Shor & Levin at 855-860-8548 or use our Worker’s Compensation.
