Take time to recognize our courageous electrical power line workers during the next storm
Our attorneys know that utility workers put their health and safety on the line day-in and day-out, while courageously inspecting and repairing power lines and poles to keep the rest of us out of danger.
A report by bankrate.com agrees, stating that “electrical power line installers and repairers” work one of the 10 most dangerous jobs in America.
According to the report, which references figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fatality rate of “electrical power line installers and repairers” is 19.2 per 100,000 workers, with an average of 25 total electrocution deaths per year.
Why is being an electrical power line installer or repairer so dangerous?
The bankrate.com story identified the following “risk factors” for installers and repairers:
“Despite numerous safety precautions, these workers face potentially deadly conditions on a daily basis. Electrocution and falls account for most of the fatalities in these jobs.”
Many other electrical line workers suffer non-fatal loss of limbs from electrical burns and mechanical trauma.
We can’t function without utility workers – let’s keep them safe
Without utility workers, everything from traffic lights, hospitals, and schools would go dark.
Power line workers are often the first people called in natural disasters, severe weather and times of crisis, as well as when someone has been injured or killed by a power line. They regularly clear a scene before first-responders can assist with rescues, fires, traffic controls or other dangerous situations. In fact, following Superstorm Sandy, President Obama made a strong call to designate utility workers as first-responders in order to avoid unnecessary “red tape” during emergencies. The President contended that electricity is certainly a first-responder issue.
Is the risk worth their pay?
The average annual salary for “electrical power line installers and repairers” is $65,650, according to the bankrate.com report.
