Sunday, September 03, 2006

Workers Die, Shit Happens

What's missing here? Compassion? The concept that accidents can be prevented? That they aren't "just one of those unavoidable things?"
Worker electrocuted at UNC-CH
A Burlington man touches a live wire while working on lights at Kenan Stadium

CHAPEL HILL - A Burlington man was electrocuted Wednesday at UNC-Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium as he and co-workers replaced fixtures and bulbs on the stadium's field lights. Leland S. Williams, 31, died just before noon.

Williams was working on a light bank on the stadium's southeast end, 50 to 60 feet above the ground. According to the state Department of Labor, preliminary reports say Williams was using insulated pliers to cut away insulation when he touched a live wire.

"Sometimes live wires are overlooked," said department spokesman Juan Santos. "So, while [electrocutions are] very unfortunate accidents, they're not uncommon."