On Behalf of Simon & Gilman, LLP | Sep 25, 2020 | Firm News |
As a New York construction worker, no one need tell you that you face many risks of injury or death every workday. But did you know that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration lists electrocutions as number three on their Fatal Four list?
It’s true. Electrocutions account for 8.3% of the nation’s construction deaths each year and 61% of the annual construction injuries. Perhaps these shocking numbers become more easily understood when you realize that, as Construct Connect points out, it takes only 50-100 milliamperes of electricity to kill you. Most common electrical tools, however, carry 15-20 amperes of electricity.
Electrocution statistics
Statistics for construction electrocution deaths reveal the following:
- Men between the ages of 35 and 44 account for 30% of them
- Construction laborers account for 25% of them
- Construction site electricians account for 19% of them
Electrocution causes
Keep in mind that not all electrocutions result in death. You can sustain serious electrical injuries and burns from any of the following:
- Frayed or damaged electrical cords
- Ungrounded electrical cords
- Malfunctioning electrical tools
- Improperly maintained electrical tools
- Improperly attached extension cords
Electrocution aftermath
Burns are the most common injuries suffered in electrocution accidents. Many of these result in your spending significant time in your hospital’s burn unit undergoing extremely painful debridement treatments and skin grafts. Your medical costs likely will skyrocket at exactly the same time when you must take a lengthy leave of absence from your job in order to recuperate to the greatest extent possible.
Electrical burns represent catastrophic injuries. Unfortunately, despite the highest quality of medical care available, disfiguring scars may well cover a large part of your body for the rest of your life.
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