Report: NFPA's "Fatal Electrical Injuries Contract Workers"
Author: Richard Campbell
Issued: May 2018
*Errata issued November 12, 2021.
Download the errata. (PDF)
Key findings
- 325 contract workers died as a result of electrical injury in the U.S. from 2012 to 2016.
- 87% of contract workers who died as a result of electrical injury were wage and salary workers, while the remaining 13% were self-employed.
- 64% of the victims were between the ages of 20 and 44, while another 22% were aged 45 to 54 years.
- 68% of contractors who died as a result of exposure to electricity worked in construction and extraction occupations and another 18% worked in installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. Workers in building and grounds cleaning and repair occupations accounted for 3% of injury victims.
Key takeaways
- Fatalities due to direct exposure to electricity indicate that work is being performed on or around energized equipment.
- Many fatalities involve self-employed workers or occur outside the traditional workplace, indicating a need for broader electrical safety education and oversight and innovative approaches to electrical safety training.
