Electrical Injuries on Construction Sites
Throughout New York and New Jersey it often appears as though construction never ends. Whether the project involves new construction, demolition or rehabilitation, chances are that electrical work will be required. Construction workers who work with, or near, electricity must take precautions to ensure that they do not sustain an electrical injury, which can be serious or even life-threatening.
Workplace Accident Scenarios
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 150 workers were killed in electrical accidents in 2010, an almost 50 percent decrease since the BLS began to keep track in 1992. The construction industry accounted for just over half the fatalities in 2010.
Electrical injuries can occur as a result of a variety of scenarios, including:
- Contact with overhead power lines —Electrical injuries that result from contact with an overhead power line accounted for 44 percent of all electrical injuries from 1992 through 2010, making it the most common cause of an electrical workplace injury.
- Contact with wiring or other electrical component — Touching a transformer, for example, can cause an electrical injury. From 1992 through 2010, this type of injury accounted for 27 percent of all electrical injuries.
- Contact with electrical current of machine or tool —Many construction machines and tools run on electricity. Injuries caused by contact with a machine or tool caused 17 percent of all injuries from 1992 through 2010.
- Contact with buried electrical cable —Accounting for only one percent of all injuries, this category represents the least likely cause of a workplace electrical injury.
- Struck by lightning– Five percent of all electrical accidents in the workplace are caused by lightning.
Types of Electrical Injuries
An electrical accident on a construction site can result in a variety of injuries. Electrical injuries are broadly divided into high and low voltage, with high-voltage injuries typically referring to an accident where the electrical charge involved was 500 volts or higher. Common injuries that are caused by contact with electricity include:
- Burns—Both surface burns and internal burns can occur when a victim comes into contact with electricity.
- Heart fibrillation—If even a low-voltage current finds its way to a victim’s heart, it can cause fibrillation, an uncoordinated contraction of the heart muscles.
- Tissue damage—As electricity passes through the body it can severely damage any tissue it comes into contact with.
- Neurological damage— Electrical shock can cause interference in nervous control over numerous parts of the body, particularly the heart and lungs.
If you have been injured as a result of a New York or New Jersey electrical accident, or any other type of construction site accident, you could be entitled to third-party compensation in lieu of, or in addition to, workers’ compensation. All too often, workers’ compensation benefits fail to adequately compensate the victims of construction accidents in New York and New Jersey. There is a chance that someone other than your own employer may have contributed to your injuries and may be liable.
Contact the New York/New Jersey accident attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez & Winograd to find out what legal options you may have. With seven offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. Calling 888-446-2783 or fill out our online contact form for your free consultation.
