OSHA investigating fatal Illinois workplace accident

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Workplace Accidents on Thursday, February 27, 2014.

Most people know that dealing with live electrical wires can be dangerous, so they attempt to avoid them whenever possible. For the person whose job it is to make repairs and perform maintenance, that is probably not an option. The family of an Illinois man who died in a recent workplace accident presumably wish it was.

The 35-year-old man was working on a utility pole located behind a residence when the accident occurred. He apparently received a large burst of electricity. He was taken to an Illinois hospital for treatment, where he later died.

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have begun an investigation into the incident. They will attempt to piece together details to gain a clearer picture of what occurred. Preliminary results indicate the man suffered electrocution, but details are not yet clear about what led to the electrical jolt.

The man was employed by a company that had been hired by the utility company to work on the pole. Officials said that was a common practice for this type work. No one from the utility company was on the scene when the accident took place. A representative says the company is cooperating fully with the OSHA investigation.

The man leaves behind a wife and four children. The workplace accident that took away their husband and father should not take away their financial security as well. They are entitled to file for death benefits in a workers’ compensation claim. Any benefits they receive could go a long way to help them deal with the aftermath of the tragedy that their family has suffered.

Source: Pekin Daily Times, OSHA investigating apparent electrocution of East Peoria man, Michael Smothers, Feb. 26, 2014