Contract negotiations broke down in New York between Consolidated Edison and management recently, leading to a lockout, according to news reports. Consolidated Edison is responsible for maintaining much of the electrical power and natural gas systems throughout New York City. Although both sides are reportedly working on ending the lockout, Consolidated Edison management has stepped in to replace the workers who have been forced off the job while negotiations continue. Unfortunately, this may be leading to workplace injuries and accidents that would not otherwise take place.
Among the recent injuries was a Con Ed manager who was filling in for one of the locked out workers. According to reports, the manager was burned in a manhole explosion on the Upper West Side last week. The manager was working underground in front of 145 W. 70 Street last week when the manhole explosion occurred. Paramedics claimed that the injured man was not badly burned. A witness, however, said that the situation looked much more serious and that the explosion caused two other workers to haul a third man out of the manhole where they were working. The witness claimed that the injured manager’s face was burned and that his skin was starting to come off. The manhole explosion marks the second injury accident since the lockout began. Just two days prior to the most recent incident, another manager was burned in a substation fire in Bensonhurst.
When contract negotiations broke down, management sent 8,500 Con Ed workers home, telling them that management would do their jobs instead. The workers warned that management was not properly trained or prepared for the often dangerous and complicated work involved in their jobs.
The Dangers of Working with Electricity and Natural Gas
The workers of Consolidated Edison perform a crucial, yet dangerous, role in New York City. People throughout the Big Apple depend on electricity and natural gas for everything from cooking to working. When a problem arises with the electrical or natural gas delivery systems, the workers of Consolidated Edison must fix the problem. Working around electricity or natural gas, however, can be very dangerous, as the recent accidents illustrate. Working around electricity carries with it the risk of anything from a small burn to a shock powerful enough to cause a fatal injury. Anyone working around natural gas must be aware of the risk of explosion when proper precautions and safety procedures are not followed. Injuries caused by either electricity or natural gas can leave the victim with life-long scars or medical problems – it can even leave a family without a family member if the injuries are fatal.
Although we do not yet know exactly why last week’s injuries occurred, we do know that construction workers who work with electricity or around natural gas in the New York area are sometimes injured because proper safety precautions are not followed. When this happens, the injured worker may be entitled to compensation for the resulting injuries. If the employee is fatally injured, the surviving family members may be entitled to file as claimants in a wrongful death lawsuit. Of course, nothing can bring back a lost loved one or turn back the clock and prevent injuries that have already happened, but if a company’s negligent hiring, training or safety practices contributed to the injuries, then they should be held accountable for the injuries that follow.
If you have been injured in a New York construction accident or have lost a loved one in a New York construction accident, the construction accident lawyers at Ginarte Gonzalez & Winograd may be able to help.
With six offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation, or fill out our online contact form.