Electrocution can result
in injuries ranging from to electrical burns
to death. Electrical shocks have also
caused workers to fall from elevated work
surfaces or to lose control of handheld
equipment, leading to severe injury.
Fires,
explosions, electrocution, thermal and
chemical burns can result in serious life
long impairments or death. Unfortunately,
many workers are needlessly exposed to
unnecessary dangers. One of the
biggest dangers at any refinery workers are
fire and explosions. Both of these
situations can also lead to inhalation of
toxic fumes.
Refinery
owners are obligated to provide a work
environment that is properly maintained,
meeting safety and environmental guidelines
and regulations which are often insufficient
or not up to standard.
Too
often manufacturers make products that are
unnecessarily dangerous that lead to burns
and electrocutions which subject them to a
tort often referred to as product liability.
According to
statistics, burn injuries are the third
largest cause of accidental death, leading
to over three hundred thousand serious
injuries and over six thousand deaths each
year.
Electrocution is a serious
risk at most construction sites.
Electrical equipment,
especially electrical tools and extension
cords, are more susceptible to deterioration
because construction sites frequently change
and heavy work is being performed.
Electrocution
risks at constructions sites include:
- Defective
equipment.
- Frayed cords.
- Missing ground
prongs.
- Cracked tool
casing on electrical equipment.
- Failure to
provide ground fault protection or
ground fault circuit interrupters.
