An industrial accident is never desired in any form. However, some accidents are more grisly than others. This is especially apparent in a horrifying industrial accident where one man was fatally electrocuted and another seriously injured after falling from a ladder into electrical lines. This sobering accident may serve as a warning to Illinois residents that they can never be too careful when on the job.
The accident occurred earlier this month, during the middle of the workday. A witness claims that the men were struggling to erect a ladder, presumably to climb to the top of a two-story building. As the workers were climbing up the ladder, the ladder slipped backward, causing the men to fall into the electrical wires.
The victims were taken to local a hospital near the site of the incident. One of the workers, a 51-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The other worker, a 48-year-old man, received electrical shocks, but was said to be conscious after the fall. The extent of his injuries was not immediately known. Currently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting an investigation into this accident to determine the cause and whether unsafe working conditions contributed to the tragedy.
As the investigation commences, hopefully the injured worker, as well as the family of the deceased victim, will receive closure with the details of the accident report. While the event was certainly heartbreaking, Illinois employers should take every reasonable precaution to avoid a catastrophic industrial accident. If the investigation by OSHA shows that the workplace failed to maintain a safe environment for workers and thus caused the accident, the victims’ employer may face fines and be required to take corrective measures to avoid such injuries in the future. In the meantime, the family of the deceased victim is may be entitled to workers’ compensation death benefits, while the worker who survived should be able to collect benefits for his injuries and lost time from employment.
Source: The Oakland Press, “One killed, one injured in industrial accident in Brandon Township,” Dave Phillips, March 2, 2012
