Long-Term Health Implications of Power Lineman Injuries

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With thousands of volts of electricity surging through electrical lines, power linemen are tasked with one of the most hazardous professions in this country. They climb dangerous heights, deal with extreme weather, and negotiate the constant risk of falls and electrocution. When accidents happen, they are usually serious and sometimes fatal. The workers who do survive an on-the-job accident may have to deal with long-term health threats. 

Common Workplace Hazards Power Linemen Face

Some of the most common dangers power linemen face on the job include:

Electrocution

Working with extremely high voltages is one of the most significant dangers power linemen face. If power lines are improperly handled or damaged, they could arc or electrocute workers. Also, power lines can explode or cause fires, which further increases the risk of injury or death. 

Falls from Heights

Power linemen often perform much of their work like installs, upgrades, and repairs from high elevations. Working at extreme heights puts these employees at risk of suffering injuries from fall accidents. 

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Because power linemen must travel to where they’re needed, there is a risk of motor vehicle accidents. When they have to be on the roads during inclement weather or after a natural disaster, this risk is even greater. 

Adverse Weather Conditions

Power lines can get damaged during some of the worst weather conditions, requiring power linemen to navigate rain, ice, snow, flooding, and heavy winds to get their job done. The slippery surface, falling debris, and low visibility increase the dangers and risks of an accident. 

Toxic Substances Exposure

Before the 1980s, electrical workers were often exposed to power lines that contained asbestos, or they were required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) manufactured with the toxic substance. While modern power lines no longer contain asbestos, some older ones still do. 

Animal Attacks and Bites

Power lines are placed everywhere in this country, sometimes on private property and sometimes in the middle of nowhere. Power linemen have suffered injuries due to animal attacks from dogs, mountain lions, snakes, and more. They have also been bitten by any number of insects, which can carry serious diseases. 

Long-Term Health Implications of Power Lineman Injuries

A workplace injury can result in the need for medical treatment and lost time from work. Even if a power lineman returns to their job, there may be long-term health implications from their injuries. These include:

Musculoskeletal Problems

It’s not uncommon for power linemen to experience back, knee, and wrist pain later in life after working years climbing poles, digging holes, repairing cables, and handling heaving materials. These musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are caused by repeated stress on muscles, ligaments, and tendons from overstrain and repetitive overwork. Eventually, these MSDs will lead to diminished strength and movement.

Spinal Cord Trauma

Falls and electrocutions can lead to serious spinal cord injuries. The long-term implications of these injuries include loss of mobility, paralysis, loss of certain bodily functions, and pain. 

Burns

Electrocution and explosions are a primary concern when working with the power grid. These hazards can lead to severe burns, which can cause permanent tissue and organ damage, lead to the loss of limbs, and result in lasting pain and limitations. 

Neurological Issues

The immediate effects of an electrical injury are usually burns, cardiac arrhythmias, and seizures. However, these injuries can cause direct damage to the nerves, leading to long-term effects like neuropathy, tinnitus, paresthesias, loss of balance, and gait ataxia. 

Skin Cancer

Continuous exposure to the elements can place power linemen at risk for a variety of issues. One of them is a high risk of skin cancer due to years of exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR). 

Lyme Disease

Because of the nature of a power lineman’s work, they often have to go into grassy or wooded areas. This puts them at a higher risk for tick bites and the associated Lyme disease. According to the CDC, there are roughly 63,000 confirmed cases of Lyme disease annually, which can cause long-term complications if left untreated. 

Power Lineman’s Rights After On-the-Job Injuries

Many power linemen fail to realize that they have rights and legal protections due to the nature of their work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created standards for working with electricity, working from heights, and other types of dangerous work involved with this occupation. 

If you’ve been injured while working as a power lineman, you may be entitled to compensation. A skilled lineman injury attorney can help you to fully understand your legal rights and options. By working with a reputable attorney, you will be in the best possible position to recover full and fair compensation for your injuries.

Electrical Hazards: How Power Linemen Face Dangers on the Job

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Being a power lineman is not a job for the faint of heart. It is a dangerous occupation that requires workers to brave inclement weather, heights, and other hazards so ordinary citizens and businesses can maintain access to the power grid. One of the main dangers of this job is being exposed to live electrical currents. Here is what you need to know about the electrical hazards power linemen face each day.

Power Linemen and Electrical Hazards — A Dangerous Occupation

While being a power lineman is an important job, it’s also a dangerous one. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), electrical power installers and repairers are among the deadliest occupations in the United States.

Linemen are tasked with working on electrically energized power lines, often at great heights and in extreme conditions. These are serious hazards that can cause severe injuries or even death. Fortunately, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers identify and address these risks to keep workers safe.

Electrical Hazards Power Linemen Face

Here are the four most common electrical safety hazards power linemen face on the job:

1. Electrocution

Working with overhead and buried power lines creates a serious safety hazard for workers. These lines can carry up to 138 kV of electricity, which can be deadly when a person comes into direct contact with them. Even contact with a low-voltage line can send current through the body, cause burns, and have devastating consequences.

 

An electrocution injury is the most serious type of injury a power lineman can suffer. When direct contact is made with electrical currents, it interrupts the signals going to the brain. The heart can stop beating, leading to instant death.

2. Electric Shock

An electric shock is a non-fatal electrical injury. When a power lineman accidentally comes into contact with low to medium-voltage electrical currents, it can cause muscles to seize or twinge. A severe shock can make it difficult to let go of the source.

If an electric shock is strong enough, It can damage internal organs and even lead to broken or fractured bones. The effects of an electric shock can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the accident.

3. Falls

Many power line workers climb utility poles or work from bucket trucks to get close to equipment for installation or repair. When electricity arcs, it can create small or large “explosions,” which can easily result in a worker falling from a height. This can lead to catastrophic injuries such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and internal injuries.

4. Burns

When electricity comes in contact with the body, it can result in severe burns. Three types of burns are possible:

  • Contact burns — These happen when an electrical shock injures the outer layer of the skin or internal tissues.
  • Thermal burns — These burns result from heat generated by an electric arc.
  • Flame burns — These are burns resulting from an electric arc flash or resulting fire.

Burn injuries can happen at any time and place when doing electrical work, so workers need proper preparation and safeguards to prevent electrical accidents.

Electrical Hazards Power Lineman May Face – Staying Safe

Here are several power lineman safety tips to reduce or eliminate electrical hazards.

1. Carefully Assess Job Sites

While a power lineman might perform similar tasks day after day, each job site will have different hazards. A qualified person should carefully assess a job site before work can start each day. If any hazards are present, those risks should be identified and addressed properly.

2. Use Personal Protective Equipment

Workers must wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when working around electricity. PPE, such as rubber gloves, hard hats, boots, and harnesses, should fit properly and be made from durable materials.

3. Use Cover-Up Equipment

Cover-up equipment is essential when working with electricity. This equipment prevents a worker from accidentally making contact with an energized line or prevents an energized line from accidentally contacting another structure.

4. Always Assume Power Lines Are Charged

Even when there are reports of power outages, workers should always assume that power lines are energized or that systems are unsafe. Using proper work procedures, wearing PPE, and using the correct safety equipment, such as double-insulated tools, can prevent serious accidents.

If you are a power lineman who has been injured on the job, it’s important to understand that your employer has a responsibility to provide a safe workplace free from electrical hazards. Lineman Injury Attorney is dedicated to offering workers up-to-date and helpful information regarding OSHA guidelines. This information can help workers avoid serious accidents or assist injured workers in asserting their rights after a workplace injury.

Common Causes of Power Lineman Injuries and OSHA Compliance

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Every year, thousands of power linemen get hurt, and hundreds lose their lives from on-the-job accidents. What’s tragic and frustrating about this is that nearly all of these accidents are preventable. This is an incredibly dangerous industry, which is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created compliance measures to keep workers safe. Here are some of the most common causes of power lineman injuries and how OSHA compliance could prevent these tragedies.

Electrocution

Working around live electricity is one of the most serious dangers power linemen face. Electrocution dangers can come from a variety of sources, such as overhead and underground power lines, generators, extension cords, and electrical equipment used on the job.

  • Power Lines — These lines can carry thousands of volts of electricity, and making direct contact with them can be deadly. OSHA recommends that workers know where all lines are located, always assume lines are energized, remain at least 10 feet away from overhead lines, and de-energize lines properly before working on them.
  • Generators — Workers should ensure the circuit breaker is off and locked out prior to starting to prevent electrocution.
  • Equipment — Use only undamaged and approved equipment and use GFCIs to prevent short circuits and electrocution.

Falls

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 700 workers died in falls to lower levels in 2022, accounting for roughly 80% of all fatal workplace injuries for the entire year. Power linemen are particularly exposed to these types of accidents because they are tasked with installing and repairing systems at significant heights.

OSHA recommends that employers prioritize fall protection to safeguard workers from serious injury or death. Specifically, employers offer adequate training, provide personal protective equipment, and ensure working conditions are free of known dangers. For example, guardrails and toeboards should be provided if there is a danger that a worker could fall from an elevated platform. Workers should wear harnesses when working from heights, even while inside bucket trucks.

Confined Spaces

It might seem like power linemen work in confined spaces, but they definitely do. A confined space is any area with limited access and exit, which may also have poor ventilation or other hazards. Confined spaces can include places like turbines, boilers, cooling towers, vaults, and transformers. Working with electricity in confined spaces can be particularly hazardous for workers, who may be harmed by electrocution, fires, or asphyxiation.

Workers must be trained on how to safely operate in confined spaces to avoid serious injury. Before entering a confined space, a qualified individual should assess the situation to identify and address any hazards. Finally, workers should wear proper safety equipment while working in these environments.

Fires and Explosions

Working with high-voltage electricity creates a significant risk of explosions and fires, which can cause a wide variety of workplace injuries and even death. Additionally, many power linemen are called out to work during wildfires, which creates another serious risk of injury from fires.

Severe burns can take place from an electrical current as well as from fires. Powerlines can cause fires due to equipment failure, contact with vegetation, and downed lines. Any public or private utility company should have procedures and strategies in place to keep linemen safe from fires and explosions.

Workers should be given regular job briefings to ensure they understand the hazards present at a job site and the protective measures they should use. Power linemen should be provided with rubber protective equipment to keep them safe from electrical hazards.

Environmental Stress

Power linemen face multiple environmental hazards on the job. They are often asked to perform work in the harshest conditions, such as in the middle of snow, ice, or rainstorms or in extreme cold or heat. This can make regular tasks, such as working from heights, even more dangerous and stressful.

Employers must ensure that there is enough coverage so that workers are asked to perform dangerous work while exhausted. Workers should also be provided with adequate safety gear and protective clothing to protect against exposure to extreme temperatures, precipitation, and wind. Adequate hydration and breaks are essential when working under these conditions. Finally, safety equipment like harnesses can provide stability on slippery surfaces when working from heights.

If you are a power lineman who has been hurt on the job, it’s important to understand that your employer has a responsibility to provide a safe workplace. Lineman Injury Attorney’s mission is to offer knowledgeable and authoritative information to workers regarding OSHA’s guidelines. We want to help workers to understand their rights before and after a workplace injury.