Updated on Jan. 4th, 2015
We regret to announce that IBEW Local 1245 member Kenneth Williams died on the job on Dec. 30 in a forty to fifty foot fall East of Orleans, CA in Humboldt County. Williams was 26 years old and had been employed by Wright Tree for a little over three years.
The Orleans area had been hit hard with snow and many trees had failed as a result of snow loads. The power had been restored but there were still hundreds of trees damaged and threatening the lines. The accident occurred during the effort to eliminate these hazard trees.
“After two full years of no workplace fatalities, it’s particularly distressing to have lost another brother just three months after the death of our brother Cliff Bengs,” said IBEW 1245 Business Manager Tom Dalzell. “Losing a loved one is devastating, particularly at this time of year, and our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and co-workers of our lost brother.”
“We have been working to grow our Keep the Clearance tree trimmer peer safety program to prevent these sorts of on-the-job fatalities, but it’s clear that more work needs to be done,” Dalzell continued.