Occupational electrical injuries in the US, 2003–2009

As part of its ongoing effort to promote electrical safety in the workplace, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) has undertaken to collect and analyze objective data on occupational electrical injuries, providing industry decision-makers with information to help them better allocate their safety resources to achieve maximum impact on employee electrical safety. This paper presents information on selected U.S. occupational electrical injuries between 2003 and 2009. These data include the total number of electrical injuries and fatalities, the industries and occupations in which they occurred, and the rates of electrical injury and fatality for selected industries. Although the data indicate that progress continues to be made in reducing the overall number of electrical injuries, there is more work yet to be done. Approximately 2,788 employees, their families, and their co-workers were affected by costly on-the-job electrical injuries and fatalities in 2009 alone. ESFI urges industry leaders to utilize the information presented in this paper to take steps to address the issues and trends identified by the study. Safety awareness, education, and training initiatives are keys to reducing electrical accidents. Leaders in all industries have a responsibility to foster a work environment where electrical safety is a top priority.