The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has completed its investigation into the April 18, 2022 electrocution of a worker in Savannah, Georgia. During the incident, a technician was digging a trench underneath a house when he came into contact with an electrical line. The worker was fatally electrocuted as a result.
The OSHA investigation found that East Coast Crawl did not follow required safety standards. Specifically, the company failed to “deenergize electrical lines before allowing employees to work and dig within the danger zone, which exposed workers to electrical shock hazards.” Following the investigation, OSHA issued citations. OSHA found the following regulations were violated, each of which was considered serious:
- 29 CFR 1926.100(a): Employees were not protected by protective helmets while working in areas where there was a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects, or from electrical shock and burns.
- 29 CFR 1926.416(a)(1): Employees were permitted to work in proximity to electric power circuits and were not protected against electric shock by de-energizing and grounding the circuits or effectively guarding the circuits by insulation or other means.
- 29 CFR 1926.1203(a): Before it began work at a worksite, the employer did not ensure that a competent person identified all confined spaces in which one or more of the employees it directed may have worked, and/or did not identify each space that was a permit space, through consideration and evaluation of the elements of that space, including testing as necessary.
- 29 CFR 1926.1203(b)(2): Where the workplace contained one or more permit spaces, the employer who identified, or received notice of, a permit space did not inform exposed employees, in a timely manner and in a manner other than posting, its employees’ authorized representatives and the controlling contractor of the existence and location of, and the danger posed by, each permit space.
- 29 CFR 1926.1207(a): The employer did not provide training to each employee whose work is regulated by this standard, at no cost to the employee, and did not ensure that the employee possessed the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of duties assigned under this standard.
OSHA has proposed penalties totaling $31,284.00.
Workers face risks and hazards that must be planned for before work begins. It goes without saying that safe companies must have adequate policies and procedures to protect their workers. It is not just workers who are at risk, but also members of the public or employees of other companies. Of course, adequate training of workers is also required. Here, a worker tragically lost his life as a result of the failures found in the OSHA investigation. Had the line been de-energized prior to work beginning, this worker never would have lost his life.
Our experienced lawyers have handled personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits of all kinds and have the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured in an electrocution accident. The experienced construction personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of an accident involving electricity or electrical lines.
Our lawyers have represented numerous workers who have sustained serious and catastrophic injuries on a job site as a result of the negligence of another party. There are strict and short time limits on making claims, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or to learn more about your legal rights.