24.06.2020

Another lineman fatality

A linesman working from a bucket truck / truck mounted lift in Charlotte , North Carolina, has died after receiving a massive electric shock.

The man, Lewis 'Ben' Smith, 34, was employed by Duke Energy and was part of a crew responding to a downed pole, after it was struck by a car. A local video news report can be found below. He leaves behind a wife and young son.

A statement from the company said: “Duke Energy lost a member of our family this week, and our hearts are broken,” said Scott Batson, Duke Energy senior vice president and chief distribution officer. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Ben’s wife, son and entire family as well as everyone who knew and loved Ben. He was part of a brotherhood of utility line workers and teammates who were proud to work by his side and will continue to mourn this tragic loss today and in the sad days ahead.”

Scott Batson, Duke’s chief distribution officer added: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of a valued Duke Energy teammate. There is nothing more important than the safety of our employees and this incident is a tragic reminder of the hazards we face in the work we do. Our thoughts and prayers are with this employee’s family, friends, co-workers and community as we all cope with the loss of a dear friend and teammate.”

Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said they will be conduct an investigation to see if safety and health standards were violated, but that could last weeks.