A workplace electrical accident at the Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe, tragically killed a Texas man yesterday afternoon and critically injured another.
Entergy Workers Were Performing Underground Electrical Work
The June 15th incident occurred around 3:00 p.m., as a crew from Entergy was performing electrical work on the property located at 600 Margaritaville Park Way in the Montgomery section of Conroe, about 55 miles from Houston.
According to the Conroe Police Department, one worker was electrocuted and pronounced dead at the scene. The second Entergy employee suffered an electrical shock and was rushed to the hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries.
A third worker standing nearby was not hurt.
Margaritaville Resort Without Power, Will Remain Closed for Now
The accident knocked out power to the resort, forcing its temporary closure.
“They just said that there’s some kind of electrical problem and just to stay outside,” one guest told Click2Houston.com. “They moved us all along, and then we just waited for a long time, and all the emergency vehicles showed up.”
The property will remain closed for the time being to ensure guests’ safety and allow for a thorough investigation. According to Entergy, it could be several days before the area is deemed safe for guests.
Prevent Workplace Injuries from Electrical Hazards
According to the National Institute for Occupational Health & Safety, electrical hazards kill more than 400 workers across the country every year and injure around 4,000 others. Electrocution ranks as the sixth leading cause of workplace fatalities in the United States.
Other injuries associated with electrical hazards include electric shocks, burns, and falls caused by contact with electrical energy. These injuries commonly result from:
- Direct contract from exposed energized conductors or circuit parts causes a current to run through the body, potentially resulting in an irregular heartbeat, interrupted breathing, and muscle spasms.
- The heat radiated from an electrical arc flash can cause thermal burns. Ultraviolet and infrared light emitted from the flash can also severely damage the eyes.
- If an arc blast produces an explosive energy wave, workers in the vicinity may suffer severe burns and collapsed lungs. The sound of the blast could also result in hearing loss.
- Muscle spasms or a startled reaction may cause a worker to fall from a ladder or elevated work area, resulting in bone fractures, brain and spinal cord injuries, and even death.
Employers have a duty to ensure workers are trained on the correct ways to use electrical equipment and identify a fault. They should also:
- Ensure that federal, state. and local workplace safety laws and regulations are followed at all times.
- Provide appropriate personal protective gear to workers and issue frequent warnings of electric power circuits, lines, and hazards.
- Enforce OSHA standards for proper lockout/tag-out procedures on job sites.
- Inspect tools and equipment, including power cords, portable cord-and-plug equipment, to ensure they are not damaged or pose risks.
- Ensure only qualified electricians and other experienced trade professionals perform electrical work.
- Ensure workers always use proper tools, fuses, cords, and other appropriate equipment for the circumstances.
- Test the circuit before workers physically touch it. Routinely inspect all testing devices.
- Identify powerlines and potential electrical hazards overhead.
- Know what’s below before digging or excavation.
- Ensure that workers know emergency protocols and procedures should an electrical injury or accident occur on the job.
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Our Undefeated Houston Personal Injury Lawyers are investigating the deadly electrocution at the Margarita Lake Resort, Lake Conroe, and will post updates when new information becomes available.
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If you were hurt or experienced the wrongful death of a loved one because of a workplace accident or explosion, our lawyers can help. Please call 1-888-603-3636 or click here to fill out our confidential contact form.
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