Electrical accidents can arise while a person comes in contact with an electrical current. The severity of the damage relies upon the quantity of current, the pathway of the current, and the frame resistance. Symptoms range depending on which frame systems are affected. Prompt treatment is needed to prevent further injury and disability. Both employers and employees should understand what to do if they or their coworkers experience electric trauma. This blog will discuss some legal options that a victim of electric shock at the workplace can pursue.
What is Electrical Trauma?
Electrical trauma is an injury caused by an electric shock. It can occur when someone comes in contact with a live electrical wire or an electrically powered device. The harm’s severity relies upon the quantity of energy that passes through the body.
Electrical trauma can cause many injuries, including burns, cardiac arrest, and even death. Victims of electrical trauma also require sizable medical treatment, including surgical procedures and rehabilitation. In a few cases, long-term care is necessary.
Electrical Trauma at Workplace
Electrical trauma at the workplace is a common hazard in the United States. Shock can cause serious injuries, including cardiac arrest, burns, and neurologic damage. In some cases, it can be fatal.
Each year, electrical accidents kill about 300 workers and injure another 1,000. Shock and burns are the most common types of electrical injuries. About 60% of electrical fatalities are caused by contact with overhead power lines.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has identified the following factors as significant contributors to electrical accidents :
- Working on energized equipment
- Touching a live wire
- Not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment
- Poor housekeeping
Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace for their employees. It includes taking steps to protect workers from electrical hazards. Employees have to be aware of the risks of operating with electrical energy and understand how to guard themselves.
What to do after you sustain an electrical injury at your workplace?
If you experience an electrical injury at your workplace, it’s vital to recognize what to do next. First and foremost, you need to call 911 or emergency services. Under no circumstances should you wait to look if your physical injuries get better. Many electrical injuries can seem minor at first but can cause severe long-term damage if not treated properly.
Once you have received medical attention, there are a few steps that you need to take to ensure your well-being.
- If the injury was sustained while working with electricity, you must fill out an incident report. This report will document the circumstances of the accident and your injuries. You will also need to fill out an electrical injury report. This file will also assist in discovering any capability electric dangers to your workplace.
- After seeking medical attention, the first step should be to report the accident to your supervisor. Make sure you record the entirety of what happened, such as the accident’s time, date, and occasions. Get the contact records for any witnesses, and take snapshots of the scene if possible.
- Contact an electrical injury lawyer as soon as possible. Electrical injuries can often result in long-term health problems, making it essential to seek legal representation.
It could assist in case you spoke with a lawyer specializing in workplace accidents. They may be capable of helping you in moving ahead with your case process. Depending on your situation, there may be an opportunity that you will be entitled to compensation for clinical expenses, misplaced wages, and pain and suffering.
If you experience electrical trauma at work, it’s essential to know what to do. But you need not be vulnerable and alone in this process. Visit our website at Pistiolas Law or give us a call today at (844) 414-1768 to speak with a workplace accident lawyer who can help you get the compensation you deserve.
