An apprentice journeyman was killed in an electrocution accident in Americus, Georgia last month.According to news reports, the worker had been standing on a ladder when he came in contact with a live wire.He then fell 12 feet down the ladder.The man had been working for Inglett and Stubbs Electrical Construction Company.The construction accident will likely result in a workers’ compensation claim by his family.
The month of August also saw another fatal electrocution accident in Georgia.A Georgia Power Co. lineman was electrocuted when he came into contact with a power line near Brookfield.The worker and his colleagues were trying to restore power after a line was cut.At some point, the worker came in contact with a live line, and was electrocuted. These accidents are an ever present reminder of the need to increase the level of benefits provided to the family of workers killed by on-the-job accidents.
Almost every worker is exposed to some degree of electrical energy while working.However, some types of workers may be at a higher risk of electrical accidents and electrocutions, because of the nature of their work.For instance, electricians or lineman working for power companies are clearly exposed to greater electrical injury hazards that the average construction worker.
There are a number of ways that workers may be exposed to electrical hazards in the workplace.Contact with a high tension power line or a live wire almost always leads to fatal electrocution.However, workers can also suffer an electrical shock while working with defective power tools, or suffer serious burns as a result of contact with a live wire.Sometimes, the impact of an electrical shock may throw a person several feet away, and lead to a fall.
Any kind of electrical injury that is not fatal can leave a person with serious injuries.Georgia workers’ compensation lawyers often find injuries like neurological damage, fractures, heart failure, shock, and severe burns after exposure to electrical energy.These injuries are often caused because of the negligence of the employer, the site owner, contractor and other parties who may have violated the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s regulations regarding electrical safety.
Many electrical accidents that Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyers come across are the result of an employer’s failure to implement appropriate safety measures or to provide necessary safety training. Workers must be trained to use electrical tools properly and specific guidelines should be established by an employer to protect workers.Electrical accidents can also occur as a result of defective equipment.Defective power tools and machinery, power cables or even wires that are not properly grounded, can be a cause of electrical injuries.These tools or cables may be dangerous because they have not been maintained properly.Wires that are frayed and have worn out installation, or tools that have exposed wires, can pose a serious electrical injury hazard to a worker.
Workers who have been seriously injured in an electrical accident in Georgia may be eligible for compensation for their injuries under the state’s Workers’ Compensation laws.These workers are eligible for medical benefits that include medical expenses and rehabilitation costs.Workers who have been seriously injured in an electrical accident are also eligible for lost wages and other disability benefits.
The Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent workers injured in workplace and industrial accidents, helping them recover rightful compensation for their injuries.