Electrocution Kills AT&T Technician in Detroit, Michigan OSHA Investigating

Kevin James, an AT&T splicing technician and member of CWA Local 4100, was fatally electrocuted April 15 while working on a telephone pole in Detroit. The accident is under investigation by Michigan OSHA.

James' death comes as CWA and other unions are preparing for Workers Memorial Day, April 28. Local 4100 President Greg Wynn, noting the deep affection members had for James, said the tragedy will be the focus on his local's activities next week.

The Detroit AFL-CIO made special mention of James, 41, in a Workers Memorial Day e-mail this week. The father of two girls was an active school volunteer and a Marine Corps veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm. "To give you an idea of what type of guy Kevin was, he would grow his hair out so he could donate it to young cancer patients in the Locks of Love program," the Detroit AFL-CIO said.

CWA Occupational Safety and Health Director Dave LeGrande said electrical hazards have been a major concern for his office and local safety activists, who have held workshops and met with employers to work together to reduce risks.

A Local 4100 steward is accompanying OSHA investigators as they try to determine what happened. James was on a ladder, belted in, to work on telecom lines hanging at least 15 feet below electrical wires, Wynn said. One of the electrical lines came loose. James was found deceased when a barking dog alerted  its owner that something was wrong.

To focus on electrical hazards for Workers Memorial Day, or other safety issues, contact LeGrande at legrande@cwa-union.org and check the AFL-CIO's website for materials you can download. Go to www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/memorial/.