A man was killed in a construction accident in New Rochelle when the cherry picker in which he was working accidentally hit electrical wires. According to a report on Patch.com, police said the incident occurred at 164 Union Avenue. An investigation found that the victim was working on the exterior of the building when he was electrocuted.
New Rochelle fire department officials said they have notified the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) about this incident. This is the agency that investigates workplace accidents, including construction accidents. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of this construction worker.
Electrocution Hazards in Construction
According to OSHA, electrocution injuries accounted for 82 construction worker deaths just in 2016,
The death rate from electrocutions for the construction industry was 0.84 per 100,000 full-time workers. Studies show that in the construction industry, electricians, construction laborers, supervisors/managers, electrical power installers and repairers, suffered the most electrical injuries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), electrical injuries can happen in many different aspects of construction work. Even those not involved in construction can face electrical hazards at the workplace. Tree trimmers, painters, and landscapers can also be at risk for electrical injuries on the job. Incidents can involve metal ladders and overhead power lines, exposed electrical wires at construction sites, or fires caused by rogue wires, among other possibilities.
The human body essentially acts as a conductor when it comes into accidental contact with electrical current in exposed cables, wires, etc. Typically, in construction sites, electrocution can occur from contact with power lines and contact with energized sources such as defective equipment or exposed wires. Both overhead and underground power lines carry a high voltage.
In addition to electrocutions, electrical hazards can lead to serious injuries. These may include burn injuries, electrical shock, arc flash or blast, fires and explosions. Common causes for other electricity-related injuries include damaged equipment or faulty wiring, dangerous conditions on the property and lack of an assured grounding conductor program.
Injuries and Liability Issues
Electrical burns are one of the most serious injuries that victims can suffer and should be given immediate attention. Excessive electricity flowing through the human body can cause serious damage to internal organs. Resulting medical problems include hemorrhage (or internal bleeding), tissue destruction, and nerve or muscle damage.
Building owners and managing agents and general contractors have a duty to provide workers with protective gear such as hard hats, harnesses, goggles for eye safety, steel-toed boots and other equipment that helps them stay safe on the job. They also have a duty to provide workers with job and safety training in a language they can understand.
Workers who are injured in construction accidents may be able to seek workers’ compensation benefits, which typically cover medical and drug expenses and a portion of lost wages. In addition, workers and their families may be able to file a third-party lawsuit for substantial money damages against a number of parties, and thus have two sources of compensation. Third-party claims are filed against parties other than the employer or co-employees and may include general contractors, sub-contractors, building owners, managing agents, construction companies, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you have suffered injuries in a construction accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. Our law firm recovered $3,375,576 for a construction worker (an undocumented immigrant) who was injured on the job – one of the highest construction case settlements in New York that year. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://patch.com/new-york/newrochelle/worker-electrocuted-new-rochelle-construction-site
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