Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Overhead power lines can cause workplace injuries

On behalf of Godwin and Rubin posted in Workplace Injuries on Thursday, September 6, 2018.

When workers in California report to work they have a right to expect that they can conduct their jobs safely and return home at the end of the workday. In a recent incident in California, this was not the case. A company has been cited for safety violations related to an outside billboard that caused workplace injuries.

An employee suffered burns over 25 percent of his body when he was injured working on a billboard. He was using a metal pole to install a billboard and the pole came into contact with overhead power lines, causing him to suffer the burns. The citation against the billboard company includes failure to observe a safe distance from power lines when installing the sign.

Regulations of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health stipulate that employees maintain a safe distance from overhead power lines. Further regulations state that required clearances be maintained around the perimeter of the billboard in order to avoid the possibility of electrocution. Fines in the amount of $32,435 have been proposed by the Cal/OSHA safety regulators.

A worker who is the victim of a workplace injury has rights that are guaranteed under California law. A person in such a situation might want to seek the counsel of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer can review the circumstances of workplace injuries suffered and can advise the client of his or her rights under the law. A lawyer can further advise the worker on what options exist for legal recourse.