New Jersey man electrocuted in industrial accident

On Behalf of | Nov 29, 2017 | Workplace Accidents

Business owners are responsible for the health and safety of their employees, regardless of the industry in which they operate. Some dangers, such as electrical hazards exist in all industries, and employers must provide the necessary safety training to prevent employees from receiving electrical shocks. One such an industrial accident recently claimed the life of a New Jersey man.

Reportedly, the 55-year-old man worked for a beverage distributor. The incident report by the police indicates that he was on a scissor lift that elevated him to a level that would allow him to replace an emergency light. It appears he attempted to do this without switching off the power to the light. He received a fatal bolt of electricity.

When emergency workers arrived, they apparently found the victim still on the scissor lift. They removed him and attempted CPR to revive him. However, this was in vain, and his death was pronounced upon his arrival at the hospital. Although the records of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration indicate that this business had been the subject of compliance inspections on three previous occasions, none of those investigations involved electrical safety violations.

Losing a loved one in an industrial accident is naturally a traumatic experience for surviving family members. Other families in New Jersey who have had to deal with similar tragedies have filed death benefits claims with the workers’ compensation insurance system. The program aims to help grieving families with the expenses related to end-of-life arrangements along with wage-replacement packages to help with day-to-day living expenses.

Source: nj.com, “Employee dies as he replaces a light at work“, Justin Zaremba, Nov. 15, 2017