It is critical for construction companies to take proper measures to protect their workers from safety hazards. This includes electrical dangers.
Electric shocks can seriously injure workers. There are various things at construction sites that have the potential to pose risks of such shocks. This includes:
- Power lines: Construction projects sometimes involve working near overhead or buried power lines. When this is the case, it is important for the companies involved in the project to take note of where these lines are, have workers work far from the lines when possible and make sure the lines are grounded and de-energized when work needs to be done close to them.
- Construction equipment: Construction work can be hard on equipment. When the equipment is electric, the wear-and-tear from such work can sometimes cause shock risks to arise. These risks can come from things such exposed wires, insulation breaks and short-circuits. This is why it is important for equipment used in construction to be regularly checked for problems and for damaged equipment to promptly be taken out of service.
- Extension cords: When such cords are misused, modified, worn, damaged or not well-suited for the equipment they are being used with, they could lead to electrical accidents. So, what extension cords are used at construction sites matters considerably.
It is important for construction workers to know what rights they have when electrical safety hazards arise at their workplace.
For one, when employees believe that their employer is ignoring a serious safety danger or is violating OSHA rules related to electrical safety, they generally have the right to file a complaint with OSHA.
Also, construction workers typically have workers’ comp rights when they are injured by electrical hazards at their work site. This includes the right to pursue a valid claim without facing retaliation. Injured construction workers can reach out for legal guidance on their workers’ comp rights.