Florida Company Receives $237,000 in Citations for Worker’s Fatal Electrocution
Tamiami, FL—Construction workers are often required to work around various electrocution hazards, making this one of the top four hazards to cause construction worker deaths.1 Given how dangerous it is for individuals to work around areas with high amounts of electrical energy, employers or contractors who hire individuals to work under them must ensure they are implementing all the necessary safety measures to keep these workers protected.
While the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) provides various training materials and recommendations on how employers can keep their workers safe, many fail to implement the safety measures they are required to comply with.
Worker fatally electrocuted in what OSHA investigators consider a preventable accident
On August 3, 2021, OSHA issued citations to United Signs & Signals Inc. after a 44-year-old worker was fatally electrocuted. The male was working at an Orlando site and had “climbed down into a trench to splice electrical wires to power streetlights.” While down in the trench, the worker “made contact with live wires and suffered fatal electrocution.”
OSHA investigators say the incident was “avoidable” which led to the company being cited. Investigators say the employer exposed the worker to “electrical-shock hazards by failing to de-energize and guard circuits” and neglected to “ensure the use of protective measures [were in place] to safeguard employees.”
OSHA Area Office Director Michelle Gonzalez says the worker suffered a fatal injury “because of US&S’s willful indifference toward protecting its workers.” The company was faced with $237,566 in penalties as a result of the unfortunate incident.
Lose a loved one to a preventable construction accident that occurred in Florida?
If a loved one suffered fatal injuries in an electrocution incident or another type of construction accident in Florida, the Tamiami, FL construction injury lawyers at Mario Trespalacios P.A. can help the individual’s surviving dependents understand their legal rights.
When a construction worker suffers fatal injuries, their spouse, children, and even parents may be entitled to recover financial relief. While this won’t change the outcome of the incident, it can help a family afford burial costs and day-to-day expenses while they work through the grieving process.
The construction injury attorneys at Mario Trespalacios P.A. are here to help
Under most circumstances, a construction worker’s family can collect workers’ compensation death benefitswhich will help cover medical costs, burial expenses, and more. A Tamiami, FL construction accident lawyercan also determine if the surviving dependents have the grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit which would allow them to seek additional compensation for2:
- Loss of companionship
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of support
- Future loss of support and services
If a surviving spouse or dependent is interested in learning more about how they can hold a negligent party liable for their loved one’s death, they are encouraged to contact Mario Trespalacios P.A. at 305-261-5800.
Mario Trespalacios P.A. is located at:
9495 SW 72 Street, Suite B-275
Miami, FL 33173
Phone: 305-261-5800
Website: www.mtpalegal.com
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