On Your Side After An Injury

ComEd worker suffers workplace injury in fall from cherry picker

ComEd employees in Missouri and other states are exposed to many hazards, and it is vital that they receive appropriate safety training. A worker who is not trained to recognize a dangerous situation will not be able to avoid a workplace injury. Along with the dangers posed by power lines, the hazards associated with aerial lifts and working at heights must also be addressed.

Thousands of people were left without electricity in a neighboring state after a workplace accident that left a worker injured. Police said a worker who was part of a crew working on power lines was in a cherry picker that was approximately 30 feet above ground level on a recent Thursday afternoon. Reportedly, a metal utility pole that was being lifted into position by a crane became detached and fell onto the live power cables.

The power lines then struck the cherry picker, and the worker was knocked out of the bucket, causing him to fall to the ground. He was rushed to a medical facility for treatment of undefined injuries. It is not known whether the man was wearing any fall protection as prescribed by federal safety regulations.

A 30-foot fall can result in life-changing injuries, and a victim of such an accident may spend months in a hospital and recuperating before he or she may be ready to return to work. Such circumstances can cause several financial stumbling blocks that may be relieved by pursuing benefits through the workers’ compensation insurance system. In Missouri, the program typically compensates a victim of a workplace injury for medical expenses along with a financial package to make up for a portion of lost wages.

Source: Forest Park, IL Patch, “Construction Accident Injures ComEd Worker in Forest Park“, Ariana Pup, April 15, 2016