If you’re doing electrical work, the first step is always to cut the power. Never assume that anyone else did it. Communication is incredibly important on job sites, especially where safety is concerned. When one worker thinks the power is off and another worker neglected to actually cut it, the results can be tragic.
The best option is to cut the power yourself. After you do, you can check it in a few ways. For instance, if you already had a switch wired to a light on that circuit and you know it worked, checking to see that it no longer works may confirm that the power is out. Of course, the risk here is that something else — like a dead bulb — is really the problem, so there is room for error. With that in mind, the best way to check is to use an electrical tester. A contactless wire tester is cheap and easy to use, and it only takes a second to confirm that a line is no longer hot. This is an easy way to stay safe.
Unfortunately, we know from the statistics that this does not always happen. For instance, the construction industry has the infamous “fatal four.” The third item on that list, or the third-most common reason for fatal construction accidents, is electrocutions. They make up 8.5% of all deaths in this industry, ranking behind only falls and workers getting struck by objects.
Those who get injured in these types of accidents need to know what options they have to compensation. The same is true for the family members of those who tragically passed away on the job.
