Work-related Electrocution

Work-related Electrocution

Electrocution on every spaces that has electricity involved has gave enough warning and safety measures on what to do in order to avoid such event, even in households where has an even risk of electrocution. The existence of risk of eletrocution in house is alarming and taken huge attention from safety agencies that there was an integration of countermeasures in work places in these past few years. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), that even with today's countermeasures for electrocution in workplaces where workers are provided with proper personal protective equipment (PPEs) and more coherent instructions, there were 166 reported electric fatalities in 2019. 

For electrocution to happen, there are factors to take in mind such as: negligent to details of electrocution, defective electric tools and equipment, badly installed wire connections, and inadequate personal protective gears, aside from these object-dependent factors, there are also worker-dependent factors such as unawareness to electrical hazards that exists in an environment of a work place or inexperience on working a working environment that is filled with electrical risks that render workers and everyone vulnerable to electricity-related injury and even death. 

What is Electrical Injury?

By books, an electrical injury refers to the damage to skin or to internal body parts when a person makes contact with an electric current without any protection and preparation. Electrical injuries are distinguished in to four main types, specifically; electrocution (eletric current shocks the body and stopping the heart which is known fatal), electric shock (high voltage of electricity flow into someone's skin and makes burn injuries), electrical burns, and fall injuries as a direct reaction of someone from electric current contact. 

How do Electrical Injury happen? 

• Open and exposed wires from energized conductors or large energy-generating systems that one have direct contact without any insulating equipment or personal protective equipments can increase the risk of being fatally eletrocuted as heavy exposure to eletricity may render victim's heart to beat irregularly or breathing may stop definitely. 
  
  
• Eletricity is hot and conducts really fast, thermal burns are result of even a slight or quick direct contact with the eletricity or from the heat it radiates. Eyes are as well at risks if left unprotected as ultraviolet and infrared light emit arc flash that is not visible by bare eyes. 
  
  
• Arc blast is a violent and explosive enegery wave that occurs during an arc flash explosion. If contacted with it directly without any protections, severe burns, stopping of function of lungs and hearing may sustain following an arc blast. 
  
  
• As stated, muscle spasms and uncontrollable muscle contractions or being surprised following a eletrocution can cause a person fall from high places or from ladder that can cause fractures, traumatic brain injuryies (TBI), and even death.

Statistics and Retrospect 

According to previous studies, more than 400 electrocutions and an estimated 4,000 injuries in any workplace were recorded annually. Similar to other workplace injuries, the victim worker is likely to suffer physically, mentally, and financially as he/she is absent on work due to recuperation, and not only the worker will suffer but the employer or their industry's productivity and name will be as well impacted because of recent issues such as electrocutions. 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stated that electricity and its risks are lingering and is a serious work place hazard and refer it is a double-edged blade where it is needed by most but is harmful due to its nature. Aside from human error, eletraical faults are general danger as it causes no injuries to its workers but fires and explosions that has been said common cause of building fire in the retrospect. 

Call your Lawyer for Employer Negligence

If ever you or one of your family members has been involved or has experienced an electrocution in a work place because of lacking of personal protective equipments or faulty electrical system that is lumped as general negligence by the employer or company that has render you to sustain significant interntal injuries, you can always refer help from a professional experienced injury lawyer to smoothen things out. 

Ryan LLP is an Ohio based injury lawyer that represents victims of personal injury caused by car accidents, medical malpractice due to medical professional's negligence, and even wrongful death against large companies, agencies and even individuals. We have 40 years of experience doing our service in this field and evidently successful with our civil litigations. Call our office now for free legal consultation.