Family Shares Tragedy To Raise Awareness

THE PARENTS OF a man who was electrocuted at work volunteered to share the circumstances of their son’s passing with Electrical Safety Foundation International. They, along with Fannin Electric Cooperative, hope to raise awareness of the risks of working with or around electricity.

“Two years ago, our son left for work and never returned home,” the family shared in a statement. “He was electrocuted while working off-site to remove computer equipment that his employer had purchased. According to the incident report issued by (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), he was standing on a 6-foot stepladder, preparing a telecommunications relay assembly for demolition by cutting a bundle of network cables leading into the relay. Contact with a lighting circuit, which had not been shut off, caused the fatal injury.

“OSHA cited his employer, having found that ‘employees were not trained to recognize electrical hazards, safety-related work practices were not employed to prevent electric shock, and electrical test equipment was not used to determine if circuits were de-energized prior to work on or near the equipment.’

“He had a lot on his mind that day. Their beloved dog had died the night before. His wife begged him not to go in, but everyone was depending on him to get the job done, and he didn’t want to let his employer down. These factors—an employer who did not prioritize safety, grief and exhaustion—led to that one moment when he reached for those wires and ended his life.

“Our family is devastated by this loss, both for ourselves and our son, who had so many hopes and dreams for the future that will now go unrealized.

“Please stay vigilant and follow all safety protocols. Never let routine breed complacency or allow pressure from your peers or employer to compel you to perform tasks for which you have not received adequate safety training. Protect yourself—not just for your sake, but for those who love and depend on you.”

At Fannin EC, we urge our members to work safely around electricity at home and work every day. We make safety the highest priority in our workplace with the hopes of keeping our members and employees safe.