Utah Electrocution Accident Lawyers

Salt Lake City Electrocution Attorneys

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that an average of 411 deaths occur every year on job sites as a result of hazardous electrical contact with thousands more victims of serious electrical shocks, burns and fires. Sadly, most of these accidents could have been prevented with proper hazard detection and prevention procedures. The threat of electrocution is present in situations involving direct contact by professionals such as electricians and engineers with powerful electric objects including power lines. Other threats are found with indirect contact by office employees, restaurant workers and homeowners.

Power line contacts still account for a substantial amount of serious injuries and fatalities at jobsites in the United States. There are many pieces of equipment that are regularly involved with power line contact that are not intended to shield workers. There are a number of machines that are commonly used around power lines, such as forklifts, cranes, aerial lifts, harvesting machines, hoppers, tree trimmers and bucket trucks, among many others. Products to insulate or devices to warn of electrocution danger due to direct contact or indirect “arc-flash” contact have been available to manufacturers and distributors of these machines for some time. Unfortunately, many manufacturers have failed to equip their products with these vital safety devices. The result has been a significant number of deaths and serious injuries that could have been easily prevented.

Office buildings, restaurants and homes may offer the threat of serious burns or shock due to faulty wiring, damaged receptacles (electrical outlets) or connectors and faulty equipment. Use of a damaged cord, electrical products in a damp or wet area or an overloaded receptacle may pose a threat of electrocution and should be avoided and reported to a supervisor immediately to prevent injury to all employees. In these settings employers have the chief responsibility to protect the safety and health of their workers by following the safe work practices established through OSHA.

Electrical current is measured in ampere, but more commonly referred to as “amps”. The circuits of an average home in the U.S. run at between 15 and 50 Amperes. Any active electrical circuit can pose a hazardous threat as it takes only two seconds of exposure to 0.10 Amps of electricity through the body to cause death.

The attorneys at Eisenberg, Gilchrist & Morton have extensive experience representing clients in cases of personal injury, including electrocution, throughout the state of Utah. If you or someone you care about is in need of exceptional legal representation, please contact our personal injury lawyers in Salt Lake City, Utah, and we will gladly evaluate your case at no cost or obligation to you.

Electrocution Accident Links

OSHA Handbook Controlling Electrical Hazards
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/3075.html