ECN Forum Forums Safety Discussion and News Occupational Safety Discussion court backs $15.5 million for burned electrician

In todays Bergen Record (NJ) newspaper page L3, there's an article about an injured electrician . He got burned when he was cleaning up some loose wires. Near a switchboard "about the size of 4 refridgerators packed together". The protective covers were on, but there was a gap allowing access to a hot component inside. Seems he hung the loose wires on the door to the switchboard to get them out of the way. One touched the hot component inside and the guy took a shock to his chest. Third degree burns.
The jury award was aginst Cutler-Hammer Corp.

Link to story: http://www.bergenrecord.com/page.ph...ZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2Mzk1Njgz

wa2ise,
The amount of compensation seems excessive, when you consider, that a few sheets of Neoprene cover-up gear could have been used,these only cost NZ$30 each and these could have saved a lot of pain and suffering.
Unfortunately, the basics of Safety practice are not thought about, until something like this happens.