Worker Contact with Electricity: The Characteristics of a Workplace Electrical Fatality: Copyright Material IEEE Paper No. ESW2021-06

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, since the introduction of the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 in 2011, half of all private industry workplace electrical fatalities occurred within the construction industry. Between 2011 and 2019, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recorded that 378 cases of electrical fatalities occurred during construction projects. OSHA reports show that the greatest number of electrically related fatalities occurred in alterations or rehabilitations and in new projects or addition builds. Many of these construction projects were for single-family, duplex, or commercial building projects. In examining incidents where contacted voltage was recorded, 57% of fatalities occurred when a worker contacted an energy source of over 1,000 volts. Contact with energy sources of 480 volts and 7,200 volts accounted for the greatest number of fatalities. Gaining a better understanding of the jobs being completed and the source of energy contacted can help identify the behaviors and actions that need to be addressed to lower the number of electrical fatalities in the workplace.