Two Mass Bay Electrical Corp workers who were working in an aerial bucket were killed when the truck supporting them upended into a ditch. The ditch runs along the Cape Cod Canal and is close to Scenic Highway in Bourne. The reach of the kind of truck being used is said to be 142 feet, which is a very dangerous height to fall from. A chaplain with the Bourne Fire Department was on the scene of the trucking accident to comfort the surviving family.
It is believed that the men were working with high-tension power lines at the worksite. Their contract was with NStar to work on a utility project. While it is not known what the exact cause of the accident was, there were other workers around when it happened, and reports indicate that there were no high winds at the time.
Mass Bay Electrical has had problems with Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations in the past, but their most recent inspection was nearly a decade ago. In that 2005 inspection, Mass Bay Electrical netted three serious violations, two of which were in relation to the aerial lifts.
The type of work the two men were doing is dangerous, which is why there are workplace safety standards in place. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Department of Labor Standards for the state reports that about 80 percent of deaths from platforms mounted on vehicles are due to some kind of contact with electrical sources. Other risks to workers include trucks being on the ground that is unstable, not using fall restraints, and slips and falls from the bucket.
Families of individuals killed in on-the-job truck accidents have options to help them seek justice and compensation to cover related expenses. Medical bills, funeral costs, and other expenses can be compensated for so those left behind do not also have overwhelming financial burdens adding to their suffering. A Massachusetts personal injury lawyer may be able to assist you and your family in pursuing some sense of retribution if working conditions were poor, proper safety precautions were not taken or machinery was not well maintained. If an employer’s negligence resulted in a fatality to your loved one, you don’t have to be alone in your pursuit of justice.
Source: Cape Cod Times, “Two workers die in fall when truck tumbles into a ditch,” Haven Orecchio-Egresitz and Mary Ann Bragg, April 13, 2014
