Cause of New Orleans’ Sewerage and Water Workers’ Injuries after Mylar Balloon-Caused Boil Water Advisory Determined
The origin of the accident that caused a New Orleans’ Sewerage and Water worker serious injuries earlier this summer in August has finally been determined, and officials are seeking ways to prevent further damage to power lines caused by the common party accessory. According to local news reports, New Orleans authorities now know that the Sewerage and Water worker who was injured due to the mylar balloon-caused outage on August 8 in New Orleans was injured due to a hatch blowing off when the mylar balloon hit the powerline, causing the outage. Emergency services were called immediately after the Sewerage and Water worker was injured in the blast.
The serious workplace accident and widespread water boil advisory has caused local officials to seek ways to educate the public about the dangers to the water system that mylar balloons pose. The New Orleans City Council wants to find ways to spread awareness among the public about the risks of the popular party item, but says it is not considering banning the balloons altogether. New Orleans City Council Vice-President JP Morrell said of the troublesome party decoration, “The risk reward of having Mylar balloons versus people being in the dark…When a Mylar balloon hits a powerline and causes an outage, it’s not just the outage, but the repairs which are born by ratepayers.”
In addition to the City Council’s efforts to spread awareness to the public about mylar balloons and power lines, the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board is also working to implement more safeguards to maintain water pressure in the event that another similar incident occurs. In addition, education among officials about the dangers of mylar balloons is critical. According to City Councilmember Morrell, “Had the communication been in place, it would have given us more time to investigate and provide a timeline…For nearly 24 hours, the world thought our water supply could be knocked out by a Mylar balloon.”
Injured Louisiana Workers May be Entitled to Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Their Workplace Injuries
It is important for Louisiana workers to know that most workers who are injured in the state, and who are unable to work their regular jobs as a result, are entitled to Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits. Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits help injured workers get back on their feet so that they can get back to their regular job and their regular lives. In order to determine whether you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in Louisiana, it is best to speak with an experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyer about your case.
The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC are here to help Louisiana workers get Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits due to them. If you are seeking Louisiana workers’ compensation benefits, contact the experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today and speak to a lawyer about your rights and options now.
Source:
fox8live.com/2024/08/15/council-reviews-utility-response-employee-injury-after-balloon-incident/
