Five Workers Electrocuted At Grand Ridge Home While Installing Gutter
Personal Injury - July 14, 2022
Five Workers Seriously Injured In Grand Ridge Electrocution Accident After Aluminum Gutter Hit Power Line At Home
GRAND RIDGE, ILLINOIS (July 14, 2022) – Five workers were injured in a Grand Ridge electrocution accident after the gutter they installed hit a power line.
LaSalle County officials are saying that the accident took place on Tuesday. Five workers were all on aluminum ladders and installing an aluminum gutter when the gutter became electrified.
The gutter apparently came into contact with a power line which caused it to become energized. All five of the workers sustained a serious electrical shock and fell backwards off of their ladders. Each worker fell approximately 25 feet before hitting the ground.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the Grand Ridge home in order to help all of the workers. Three of the workers were taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Two of the workers were listed in serious condition. A full investigation into the Grand Ridge electrocution accident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Illinois Electrocution Accidents
Falls and electrocutions are two of the most common causes of worker injury and death in the United States. They are both listed under the “fatal four” causes of work place death by OSHA. About 8.6% of workplace fatalities involve electrocutions. According to the EHS Daily Advisor, “[electrocution accidents] are caused by contact with overhead power lines or energized conductors or circuit parts in electrical panels and equipment panels, poorly maintained extension cords and power tools, as well as lightning strikes.” There are a number of steps that companies can take in order to protect workers from electrical hazards.
- A safety manager should inspect worksites and identify potential hazards such as power lines.
- Exposed, live electrical parts should be de-energized before they are handled.
- Barriers should be installed around electrical hazards.
- Workers should never be allowed to work in close proximity to live electrical wires.
Accidents involving power lines may seem like freak occurrences but they are actually quite common. When a worker is injured on the job, they will typically have recourse through a worker’s compensation claim. Worker’s compensation in Illinois is based off of a no-fault insurance plan. There is no need for a worker to demonstrate negligence in order to receive benefits. Depending on the facts of any case, an injured worker may be able to seek aid through a third party liability claim. A third party liability claim is possible when an entity separate from a worker’s employer contributed to an accident.
There could be numerous sources of third party negligence if workers are electrocuted by a power line. For example, a company such as Commonwealth Edison could be liable for an electrocution accident if they failed to make power lines safe by either de-energizing or sleeving them. It’s common for construction companies to request certain power lines to be de-energized before workers perform tasks in certain areas. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any electrocution accident.
- It should be determined if the energy company that owned the power lines involved in an electrocution received work orders about those lines.
- Photos of the accident site should be taken.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.
Any person that is injured in a Grand Ridge electrocution accident may have legal recourse through a bodily injury claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. Sadly, though, power companies will often fight extremely hard to deny liability for an accident. A workplace accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating An Illinois Electrocution Accident
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to the workers injured in this Grand Ridge accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to OSHA. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to help prevent other tragedies like this.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an electrocution accident? Our team of worker’s rights advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support after an incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.