An employer has the responsibility to educate his employees about the safety requirements of the workplace and provide them with the proper safety equipment required to carry out their job without getting injured in any way. Electric hazards in the workplace are one of the most dangerous and can cause huge damage to the nervous system of an employee within a matter of seconds. Therefore it is the responsibility of the employer to educate and train each and every staff member accordingly so that they have the correct skills to deal with work that involves high voltage equipment. An employer is also responsible for putting up warning signs and rules that help the employees know where the high voltage areas are in the company and how to avoid getting shocked.
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Effects of an Electrical Shock on the Human Body:
However, if you have been a victim of an electrical injury , there are certain steps you need to take in order to ensure your well being and recovery. An electric shock as low as 50 volts can cause an individual’s muscles to lose its signals from the brain. When mentioned in simple words like these, it might not seem a big deal; however, when we consider this fact practically, it can have effects as severe as stopping the heart from beating properly and disabling the functions of the lungs. Therefore, if you have been a victim of an electrical accident in the workplace due to the negligence of your employer, it is a good idea to contact the electrocution work accident personal injury lawyer and get their advice on how to proceed with a case and claim the damages caused to you by the injury.
Electric Burns Caused by High Voltage:
Electrical burns can be caused by a high voltage of current passing through the human body as the intensity of the high voltage causes the body’s tissues to heat up in and around the area where the body has made contact with the current flow. This can cause extremely deep burns to the individual and may require surgery in order for them to heal. It is also possible that a high voltage current permanently disables the individual. Although more often than not, such injuries are caused by high voltage exposure, they can also be caused by a lower voltage if the exposure is for more than a few seconds.
Thermal Burns Caused by Shorted Electrical Equipment:
Another common kind of injury caused due to the negligence of an employer includes thermal burns that are caused by electrical equipment heating up due to having a shorted wire connection or having blown a fuse. This kind of accident can also take place when the equipment is receiving an overload of electricity and is having difficulty maintaining that voltage. Although these injuries might not seem like electrical injuries, their nature suggests otherwise since they are correlated to the malfunctioning of electrical equipment.
In any case, suffering a work accident electrical injury can be troublesome for an employee as not all employers are understanding of the situation and would like to blame the injury on the negligence of the employee rather than admitting their fault. Therefore, it is a good idea to get in touch with a good attorney and gather evidence that helps make your case strong.
