Wisconsin Public Service

On July 26, 2017, an employee was using a pry bar to lift a manhole cover when the pry bar slipped and the cover landed on his left hand, amputating the ring finger.

On October 10, 2016, an employee was installing and positioning a regulator on a platform. His left hand was holding the base of the regulator about 1.5 inches above the tie down when his second fingertip was pinched between the regulator and the platform. His fingertip had to be surgically amputated.

Employees were performing construction work on an esplanade. Three employees were retrieving float stages that were secured alongside a barge and taking them approximately 150' North to a second barge. The float stages were to be loaded with forms and sent under the esplanade to be installed. In order to retrieve the float stages the operation required a boat to pull back the floats to release the tension in the lines (2 each, one at the North end and one at the South end of the floats) due to the flood tide. The boat was positioned South of the float stages. Two employees left the boat and boarded the floats. They tied a line from the boat to the float stages and moved to the lines securing the floats to the barge. One employee was on the South end of the float stages and a second employee was on the North side, each at a line. When the tension was released by the boat, both employees released each line. The platform was also released from the boat to allow for the boat's navigation around some piles. They floated North on the float stages. Once the float stages moved beyond the end of the barge, the float stages turned 90 degrees and were pointing In an east to west orientation, broadside to the current. Once broadside to the current, the current took them North causing them to strike the South end of the barge approximately 150' away. The two employees attempted to push the float stages away from the barge, but were unable to. At this time the third float stage started lifting and pushing the second float stage into the first float stage. The first float stage was pushed in the up and down position (90 degrees vertically with the flat side against the barge) and pinned against the barge, the second float stage came to rest on the first float stage side horizontally (parallel to the water), and the third float stage was also turned and was pushing on the backside of the second float stage. The injured employee's legs were pinned between a float stage (20' x 5') made of timbers and the barge with a steel hull (180' x 60'), resulting in a right tibia and fibula fracture and a left fibula fracture.

An employee was riding in an airboat when it hit a sandbar. He was thrown and hit his head and shoulder on the bow of the boat.

An employee was working from a floating platform to remove a concrete form when a wave in the water caused the platform to rise up above the protective bumpers. His left little finger was then caught between the formwork bolt and the platform, causing a partial amputation of the left little finger.

Between around 4:30 and 4:45 p.m., two employees were motoring a skiff down a river when the skiff hydroplaned and struck the shoreline. The employees were both injured: one suffered upper body injuries (suspected broken ribs) and a concussion and the other suffered facial and leg injuries. Both were hospitalized.

An employee was in a boat, inspecting a pipeline, when the boat hit something in the water and ejected the employee from the seat. The employee hit the boat floor and suffered a forehead laceration and fractured left wrist.

An employee contracted by another company was conducting work on the platform of the plane train when he fell off the platform, resulting in a fracture and contusion to his face.

Two employees were setting up an inspection camera over a manhole. One of them tripped and fell into the manhole, landing about 20 feet below and suffering a broken left ankle, a sprained right ankle, and a laceration to the back of the skull. He was hospitalized.

On 11/9/2023, an employee on an extension ladder was reconnecting power to a residential meter pole. The wooden pole shifted and caused the employee to fall from the ladder to the ground. The employee sustained a fractured right tibia.

An employee was on a ladder re-routing electric service meter equipment. As they were removing the old service from the meter, the employee slipped from the ladder and landed approximately 5 feet below on concrete. The employee sustained broken bones in the lower left leg.

An employee was grinding a gusset plate with a disc grinder when the gusset got caught, pulling the employee's finger into the machine. The employee sustained an amputation to the right index finger.

The injured employee was assisting five other employees with bracing a wall panel that was being stood up. Another employee slipped on frost on the floor surface. The employees went to evacuate the area in anticipation of the wall panel falling over. The injured employee went to jump through a window opening within the wall panel and their lower half was crushed by the falling wall panel. The employee sustained a fractured pelvis.

An employee was using a vertical band saw to cut a thick piece of rubber material. While being cut, the material shifted, causing the employee s right hand to contact the moving blade. The employee's thumb was amputated below the knuckle. The employee was hospitalized, undergoing surgery.

A production sanitation employee was pre-rinsing an incline conveyor and noticed cheese stuck between the belt idler. The employee went to remove the cheese and their glove got caught and pulled their left forearm into the conveyor. The employee's arm was fractured. The machine was not locked out/tagged out at the time.

An employee was on a ladder, taking measurements for a new gutter installation. The ladder slipped out from under him and both he and the ladder fell to the ground. He was hospitalized with seven broken ribs and a broken clavicle.

An employee was unloading a truck for a delivery job. While moving boxes in the truck, the employee tripped over a pallet and fell out of the truck to the ground, resulting in four broken ribs.