New York Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (NY FACE)

Flooding Fatal Injury Facts

picture of truck over the washed out road

During severe flooding conditions between June 22 and June 30, 2006, 4 workers died as a direct result of the weather. Below are real-life descriptions of the workers who were killed on the job.

  • A 74-year-old male was killed while helping his brother pull a skid-steer loader out of the mud with a farm tractor. The tractor flipped over.
  • A 55-year-old electrical utilities worker was electrocuted while installing a new transformer when he placed an aluminum ladder in an electrical vault that contained three feet of water.
  • Two male truck drivers, aged 55 and 42 years, were killed when the trucks they were driving went into a washed out section of an interstate highway.

How Can Flooding Accidents Be Prevented?

  • Exercise caution when operating tractors or other mobile equipment.
    • Loads should be properly hitched.
    • Ensure all tractors are equipped with rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seatbelts. Equipment can slip easily on muddy ground.
  • Proceed with caution when entering a building that has been impacted by severe weather.
    • Turn off power and outside gas lines at the meter or tank before entering.
    • Watch for electrical shorts and live wires.
    • Air out building to remove escaping gases.
    • Wear rubber boots and gloves.
  • Stay off roadways impacted by severe weather events unless there is an emergency.
    • Turn around if you come to a flooded road, whether driving or walking. There is no way to estimate the depth of the water nor the condition of the road under the water.

New York Fatality Assessment & Control Evaluation (NY FACE)

The NY FACE program is supported by a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Additional information can be obtained by contacting:

New York State Department of Health
Bureau of Occupational Health and Injury Prevention
Empire State Plaza-Corning Tower, Room 1336
Albany, New York 12237