A ladder touching a high tension wire – this scenario has caused countless fatalities in all kinds of industries and workplaces and homes.
An employee of an aluminum siding company was electrocuted when the ladder he was holding touched a 5,000 volt line. He was working on an old farmhouse. The line had been there for about 60 years. The owner of the farmhouse was not aware of its presence and had not pointed it out to the worker.
Whether you are at a worksite or doing home repairs on the weekend, the advice is the same: Always be aware of overhead hazards when moving ladders. Never move a ladder without checking first for electrical wires. If there are electrical wires, use a wooden ladder but still keep your distance from them. Investigation of this incident also found problems with ambulance response to the rural location. The importance of workers knowing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was pointed out by the coroner’s jury investigating the case.
