The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is currently investigating approaches to reduce the frequency and severity of work-related injuries. The incident rates for CDOT are significantly higher than those achieved by some private organizations and comparable DOTs.
Heat cramps and heat exhaustion are common illnesses that are related to being exposed to high temperatures; heatstroke is a medical emergency which can result in death. With a few precautions and helpful tactics, most heat-related illnesses can be avoided.
Aluminum irrigation pipes are commonly used in agriculture in the arid West. The lightweight pipes are thirty to forty feet in length and are designed to be connected, moved, and reconnected by hand in irrigated areas during growing seasons. High voltage lines (7200 or 7620 volts) supply power to the irrigation pumps, and are typically suspended twenty to thirty feet above ground. Electrocutions usually occur around the periphery of irrigated fields when workers lift or tilt the pipes to clear out water, sediment, debris, or small animals and make accidental contact with the power lines.
