A recent incident at a Colorado farm involving lightning highlights the danger of working around the elements of the outdoors. A total of 9 people were injured at the farm after lightning struck their work area. Two of the workers were critically injured and the others were left with serious injuries.
All of the injured were farm workers and when emergency services arrived they found the injured people to have trouble answering questions and they reported a loss of feeling in different areas of their bodies. All were taken to the hospital for continued treatment.
Any worker that is exposed to outdoor work conditions are susceptible to getting injured by lightning if they do not take the proper precautions, including those that work on farms and near bodies of water. Shelter is necessary to be protected from lightning strikes and all workers should be properly trained to know what to do in the event of a lighting storm.
Workers should be trained to recognize the potential for dangerous storm conditions such as seeking shelter and exiting scaffolding systems and roofs. If there is no shelter immediately available, workers should be trained to crouch down closer to the ground but to not lie completely flat. Lightning can strike even when a thunderstorm is several miles away so all workers should use caution when continuing to work with a storm approaching.
A safety plan will also need to be put into place in the event a worker is struck by lightning while on the job. In some cases, a victim could lose their pulse after the strike and will require CPR to be performed. All workers should know how to utilize CPR and other resuscitative measures to aid injured workers.
Have you or someone you love been injured by lightning at work? It is important to secure the medical benefits you deserve as you recover from your work-related injury. Schedule a free consultation of your workers compensation claim by calling us toll free at 888-799-3918 or by using our online contact form.
