Employees of a cafeteria at a Connecticut elementary school recently filed a case with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The matter asserts that a serving table at the school has repetitively zapped and harmed employees. Furthermore, one employee claims that she was let go as a result of her refusal to use the faulty equipment. However, the school has denied this accusation. Since the issue was brought forward to OSHA, the table has been fixed and is safe for operation, according to the agency.

The complaint with OSHA claims that a few of the school’s employees received electric zaps from the malfunctioning table between 2013 and 2014. Moreover, one affected employee was so severely shocked that the worker received nerve damage. The petition asserts that electricians investigated the table several times and never located the root of the electrical problem.

For example, on October 23, 2013, a repairperson inspected the serving apparatus after the first documented incident. At that time, the burner was replaced. Unfortunately, this did not stop the electric zapping. After another visit from a local repair service, which also could not identify the root of the issue, the Board of Education was advised to make an appointment with the district’s maintenance department.

The original company who first inspected the table returned in January 2014 for another look. At that time, the mechanic identified a few voltage issues and shoddy wiring. Unfortunately, further repairs were not made after the harmful shock incident in February 2014, which caused nerve damage to one employee.

Recently, inspectors re-wired the serving table with a new circuit breaker. However, some employees remain concerned.

Workplace accidents

Fortunately, only one person was seriously injured by the malfunctioning table. Hopefully, no more issues will arise. Because OSHA has looked into and addressed the matter, the chance of additional problems seems slim.

The good news is that those harmed in workplace accidents are entitled to recovery rights. If faulty equipment or another issue results in an accident, an injured employee may pursue workers’ compensation benefits.

However, even when compensation is warranted, it can take a long time to actually receive financial benefits after a workplace accident. If you were harmed in a mishap at your job, take the time to speak with a qualified workers’ compensation attorney. As you recover from and deal with your injuries, an attorney can help you retain the financial benefits that you need from the appropriate insurance company.