Crime & Safety
Worker Electrocuted While Cutting Tree In A Lift In Bedford
A lift appears to have contacted power lines near a Meetinghouse Road home; OSHA and New Hampshire Department of Energy are investigating.
BEDFORD, NH — A person working in a lift and cutting a tree in Bedford outside a Meetinghouse Road residence struck the power lines Friday.
Bedford Fire Rescue was dispatched to road, near Orchard Hill Circle, for a person who had been electrocuted after striking a power line at 11:22 a.m. The person was transported to the Elliot Hospital with serious injuries from the incident. Eversource, a representative from OSHA, and the New Hampshire Department of Energy were also dispatched to the scene.
A tree trimmer who was working for Accurate Tree Service was electrocuted while trimming branches around electrical lines, according to a statement from a Bedford police spokesperson.
Find out what's happening in Bedfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The worker was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. OSHA was contacted and is conducting an investigation.
Eversource workers were placing insulators over the power lines after the incident where the accident occurred.
Find out what's happening in Bedfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Based on observations at the scene, it appears that the lift made contact with the power line. It is unknown if the person was directly electrocuted from the power line or the lift coming into contact with the power line.
No one at the scene would comment on what happened.
An OSHA worker said communication about the incident must come from the Boston OSHA office. A message was left for OSHA.
William Hinkle, a spokesman for Eversource, said the company assisted with a response to the company performing the tree cutting. They were not company employees, he said.
Hinkle said potential electrical hazards can be found around any public or private property, and he urged everyone to follow best safety practices, including maintaining applicable clearances when working in the area of those potential hazards. The company, he said, offered general outdoor electric safety tips for all customers to keep in mind on our website, as well as guidance for homeowners about where and what kind of trees can be safely planted near power lines.
On Monday a tree-cutting worker who was cutting a tree in Nashua struck a power line and died from his injuries.
Bedford NH Patch will update the article as more information becomes available.
©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news
