70-year-old man electrocuted in Kapolei warehouse
A 70-year-old man was electrocuted at his warehouse job this morning.
The man, who worked at Ramar Foods International’s Kapolei location, was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition, according to an Honolulu Emergency Services Department report.
No more details are known at this time about the incident that occurred at 8:38 a.m.
The family-owned Ramar Foods , which is headquartered in Pittsburg, Calif., manufactures Filipino frozen foods. The company did not respond to a request for an immediate comment.
May 2 (Hawaii island): A heavy equipment boom holding a utility pole collapsed and the pole struck and killed a worker on the ground.
May 3 (Oahu): A worker died after falling out of a forklift that tipped over.
May 4 (Oahu): Two workers suffered second and third degree burns from an electrical arc flash while conducting electrical testing activities.
May 4 (Oahu): A worker suffered brain injuries and internal bleeding after receiving an electrical shock and falling off a scaffold.
May 7 (Oahu): A worker was killed when a golf-type cart lurched forward into a wall.
May 8 (Oahu): Two workers sustained serious injuries after falling off a platform that was being raised by a forklift.
May 18 (Kauai): A worker died while operating a riding mower that slid down a slope and over a retaining wall.
May 18 (Oahu): A worker was electrically shocked while arc welding a pipe and suffered serious burns to his face and jaw.
May 21 (Hawaii island): A worker lost his leg and sustained other serious bodily injuries when he was struck and run over by a track type of excavator.
Source: Hawaii State Department of Labor & Industrial Relation
The incident is the second worker electrocution in less than three months. On May 18, an Oahu worker was electrically shocked while arc welding a pipe and suffered serious burns to his face and jaw. Details on where this employee worked are currently unavailable.
The Hawaii State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR) reported in late May that the state has experienced a surge in serious work-related accidents. At that time, DLIR said that its Hawaii Occupational Safety & Health Division (HIOSH) was investigating four fatalities and several serious injuries that occurred during a 20-day period in May.
“This surge in serious industrial accidents is a harsh reminder for employers and workers to think about safety when taking any work actions,” DLIR Director Leonard Hoshijo said in a statement. “HIOSH provides consultation services that help employers identify hazards and improve safety and health programs. While there’s no apparent connection between the accidents, all employers should examine conditions at their workplaces, safety policies, training and monitoring. Workers need to think safety, and avoid taking unsafe shortcuts to get a job done.”
