2 major job safety concerns for New York electrical workers

On Behalf of | Apr 4, 2023 | Fire Cases - Electrical Worker Burn Injuries |

Electrical workers command competitive wages in no small part because of the risks involved with their jobs. Even when a specific professional follows every safety regulation, they never know when someone else might turn the power back on or otherwise make mistakes that could endanger them.

As if coworkers and inherent job risks weren’t concerning enough, those who install and update electrical systems often have to worry about the possibility of issues with the property they’re working on. There are all kinds of issues, like frayed wires, that increase the degree of risk on the job. There are also specific kinds of work incidents that often lead to severe injury for electrical workers. The two types of incidents below often lead to major injuries and expenses for affected workers.

Arc flashes

Bad wiring, corrosion, dropping tools or even dust in a poorly-ventilated space could potentially contribute to an arc flash occurring. When electrical current exits the appropriate conduit meant to transport it and leaps through the air to another conductor or the ground, it can cause burns and electrical injuries to anyone nearby. Arc flashes are often preventable and can lead to hospitalization for nearby workers.

Transformer explosions

Numerous factors might lead to a transformer exploding, from lightning strikes to short circuits, and such explosions can occur while workers struggle to repair a damaged transformer in some cases. Workers nearby could suffer significant injury as the explosions can lead to burns and percussive injuries, especially if someone was working at an elevation and gets knocked over by the explosion.

Brain injuries, hearing loss and traumatic injuries caused by a fall are all possible after a transformer explosion. Proper maintenance practices and the right safety practices can reduce the risk of transformers exploding or blowing and of the workers repairing or maintaining them getting hurt.

Oftentimes, severe injuries suffered by electrical workers will necessitate personal injury claims, not just workers’ compensation claims. Property owners and other third parties could have some responsibility for the situation and its impact on the affected workers. Understanding major job risks and the factors that contribute to them can help those in dangerous professions more effectively protect themselves in the event that they suffer harm and need to build at least one case for compensation with the assistance of an experienced legal professional.