People in Pennsylvania and others living elsewhere expect to return home safely from work each day. Sadly, that wasn't the case for one Pennsylvania man. The 59-year-old was electrocuted while he was working at Wean Hall on the campus of Pennsylvania's Carnegie Mellon University. The man was a contract worker and was employed by the Eaton Electrical Company. Many accidents covered by workers' compensation are not fatal, but this accident resulted in the man's death.

A text message was sent to a number of students to alert them of the accident. The message cautioned that there was no need for special precautions or evacuation from campus. A spokesperson for the university called the work-related incident an "industrial accident" and declined to give further information. Later in the day, the Vice President for Campus Affairs asked those associated with the university to keep the victim and his friends and family in their thoughts and prayers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death of the man, as it does with all work-related fatalities. Once its investigation is finished, OSHA will create a detailed report that may allude to the individuals or organizations responsible for the event.

Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Act is intended to help victims of work-related accidents. This act provides compensation for lost wages and also ensures that medical care is given for injuries that occur on the job. The man's family in this situation may be eligible for death benefits. An experienced lawyer may be able to explain the process of filing for a claim and guide a victim's family through the process.

Source: The Tartan, "Fatal accident in Wean Hall," Brent Heard, Jan. 28, 2013