Sobering Electrical Accident Stats Show Need for Ongoing Improvement

Oct. 18, 2018
Electrical Accident Stats Regarding Electrocutions and Shocks

Rarely does a day go by that I don’t see at least one or two news releases come across my desk chronicling an accident related to electrical current exposure that ended in serious injury or death, whether it be in the form of an electrocution, arc flash/blast, or burn incident. Despite the progress we’ve made as an industry over the years — and there’s no doubt we’ve made progress, thanks to the implementation of ramped-up education and training efforts coupled with more stringent control measures/safety protocols — these tragedies continue to plague the workplace.

According to Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), a non-profit organization based in Arlington, Va., which uses the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and Survey of Occupational Injuries to distill information pertaining to fatal and non-fatal occupational electrical injuries (the most recent data of which spans the years 2003-2016), there was a 15% increase in electrical fatalities between 2015 and 2016. Electrocutions constituted the majority of these deaths while electrical burns of all degrees were responsible for four fatalities. Through its analysis, ESFI uncovered some other staggering statistics. In 2016, for example, 53% of all electrical fatalities occurred in the construction industry. Although this number was down from 60% the preceding year, construction still logged three times as many electrical fatalities as the second-place finisher (manufacturing). Not surprisingly, younger, less experienced workers were 2.3 times more likely to become an electrical fatality statistic than their veteran counterparts.  

As part of the electrical industry, no matter what discipline you come from or sector you represent, we all have a shared responsibility — to increase the awareness and enforcement of safety in the workplace and on the job site. At EC&M, that often means taking on the unfortunate role of reporting the details of specific accidents in the field in order to help our readers learn from others’ mistakes. That’s what we do in our popular Forensic Casebook column, which takes an in-depth look at specific electrical accidents from a forensic engineering perspective. By showing the real-life consequences of carelessness, shortcuts, or failure to follow proper safety procedures, this department gives a face and a voice to the victims, telling their stories and reinforcing how critical safety is. 

So whether it’s in the form of news, forensic accident investigation and analysis, safety tips/tutorials, or general education safety pieces, we strive to provide practical safety lessons on an ongoing basis that can oftentimes be used as a training resource for what not to do. Don’t miss this month’s exclusive cover story, “Shock Therapy” on page 20, in which Freelance Writer Tom Zind takes a hard look at the persistence of electrical accidents in the workplace. Although awareness and control measures have obviously helped, he examines why sustained progress in reducing those accidents may demand a new way of thinking. Starting with a summary of two incidents, Zind demonstrates that while 22 years separated the first accident from the second, little was different in terms of the circumstances or actions leading up to the tragedies. In the end, he reveals how victims (who should have known better) failed to de-energize equipment, and paid with their lives.

Although it’s hard to find a silver lining of any kind when it comes to these types of accidents, one thing that provides a small glimmer of hope is that ongoing safety advocacy, education, and training among electrical professionals might spare even one individual from a similar fate. It’s a call to action I’m sure we all can agree is worth fighting for.

About the Author

Ellen Parson | Editor-in-Chief - EC&M

Ellen Parson is the Editor-in-Chief for EC&M. She has a journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She's been a business-to-business writer and editor for more than 25 years, most of which have been covering the construction and electrical industries. Contact her at [email protected].

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