Electrical worker possibly shocked while working in Rochester
August 03, 2016 06:51 PM
An electrical worker was rushed to the hospital after being he was possibly shocked in Rochester.
The incident happened around 10 Wednesday morning on Liberty Pole Way. The victim is 28 and an O’Connell Electric apprentice.
Police say the contract worker was doing some underground work when another co-worker looked down into the manhole to discover that the man was unresponsive. Co-workers pulled him out of the manhole and performed CPR until first responders arrived.
Investigators say the victim's heart stopped and they had to use a defibrillator on him. He was breathing again as he was being transported to Strong Hospital.
"Excellent work by his coworkers to get him out of the hole and immediately do a defrib on him," says Rochester Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Peer. "It was excellent work by them."
"The members of O'Connell Electric found him slumped over," says Peer. "They pulled him out of the hole, he was on a harness, and he was removed from the hole. They did shock him and started CPR."
Battalion Chief James Hartman of Rochester Fire Department says performing CPR and using a defibrillator more than doubles the chances of a person's survival.
"The focus of what the Rochester Fire Department wants to recommend is people do CPR and don't just stand there," says Battalion Chief Hartman. "Their actions can only help."
Nina Porciuncula: "Not everybody knows how to perform CPR or how to operate an AED. Where do we go for that?"
Hartman: "Absolutely. If you have questions honestly the CPR one there's training available for hands only CPR and they can contact the Rochester Fire Department at 311 and we can direct them to agencies. Also the most important part: if you don't have training is to push hard at the center of the chest at the rate of around a hundred a minute."
Police tell us that at this point it is still unsure whether the victim was shocked or not. Earlier, we're told the power line the victim was working on was not energized. The investigation is still ongoing.
RG&E statement
"At approximately 11:30 this morning RG&E received notice of an incident involving an employee of O'Connell Electric. O'Connell Electric is an independent contractor performing work for RG&E. The O'Connell Electric employee was transported by ambulance to Strong Hospital for treatment. At this time, the cause of the incident is under investigation and RG&E is assisting in the investigation.
"Questions regarding the individual's condition should be directed to Strong Hospital or O'Connell Electric. Our thoughts are with the individual employee and all O'Connell employees."
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Man Working In Western NY Manhole Shocked, Hospitalized
By Associated Press August 4, 2016 6:14 PM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Fire officials say a worker at a western New York construction site was shocked while he was working in a manhole.
Rochester Battalion Chief Daniel Peer says crews were called to the manhole around 10 a.m. Wednesday and found O’Connell Electric workers performing CPR on the 28-year-old worker outside the manhole. He says the man was initially unresponsive but the workers were able to get him breathing again.
Authorities say the man was working on a manhole when a spotter noticed he was slumped over and immediately removed him from the manhole.
The man has been taken to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was in critical, but stable condition.
The incident remains under investigation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been notified.
[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]