On the morning of Feb. 5, PSE&G dispatched an electrical worker to the Thomas and Appleton roads area in Glen Ridge. They had been receiving numerous calls from their customers with complaints regarding an outage in that area, according to a PSE&G spokesperson. The worker found a blown fuse and requested assistance from a second worker in finding the cause.
While they were searching the area looking for the problem, the two workers found a 31-year-old Comcast employee up on a ladder on a utility pole. The workers said he was leaning against the pole and appeared to be unresponsive when they reached him. With the help of police officers, the workers brought the Comcast employee down from the ladder. A short time thereafter, he was pronounced dead, and the cause was determined to be accidental electrocution.
The worker’s death is currently under investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Glen Ridge police. He leaves behind a pregnant wife and three young sons.
When a worker loses his or her life to a workplace accident, the family of the deceased could be eligible for compensation from the employer’s workers’ compensation benefits carrier. Sometimes, in the aftermath of the death of a loved one, making the right decisions can be difficult. The family of the deceased may not quite know where to turn for reliable advice about their rights and options. An attorney could be of assistance in filing a claim so that they can pursue benefits to help with final expenses and, in some cases, loss of their primary source of income.
Sources: NJ.com, “Comcast employee killed while working on utility pole in Glen Ridge,” Dan Ivers, Feb. 5, 2015
NJ.com, ‘Comcast worker killed in Glen Ridge accident recalled as accomplished fighter, dedicated father,” Dan Ivers, Feb. 9, 2015