When a work crew has to work on a site where high-voltage overhead cables are present in the vicinity, the danger should be evident. The company owner will be expected to do a thorough evaluation of the potential hazards and strategize on how to go about preventing workplace accidents. All workers should receive regular safety training, but the unique dangers of each site should be addressed. One way for California company owners to avoid a work accident or injury is to comply with all safety regulations as prescribed by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
A 65-year-old mill worker recently lost his life in a workplace accident that may have been avoided had safety regulations been followed. Emergency services were called to the industrial working site where they found a boom lift raised to a height of about 25 feet. Although the basket was not touching the overhead high-voltage power cable at the time, it was only a few inches away. It was suspected that the worker appeared to be unconscious in the basket that had inadvertently come into contact with the cable.
Bringing the boom basket to ground level required the hydraulic fluid to be drained, and only after clearing the area of piles of stock were they able to determine that the worker was already dead. An accident investigation is reported to be underway. In addition to OSHA, the sheriff’s department, the mill management and PG&E are involved in the investigation.
Hundreds of workers suffer electrical shocks every year, and while some are mild, many electrical shocks cause severe or even fatal injuries. The electrical current that flows through the victim’s body will determine the severity of the injuries. The surviving family of the California man who lost his life in this unfortunate work accident may pursue claiming workers’ compensation death benefits. Coverage of end-of-life expenses and some form of financial package may ease the financial strain placed on a surviving spouse and other dependents.
Source: northcoastjournal.com, “UPDATE: Worker Killed in Mill Accident“, Grant Scott-Goforth, Jan. 6, 2015
