Non-Fatal Electrical Injuries at Work

Report: NFPA's "Nonfatal work injuries caused by exposure to electricity in 2020"
Author: Richard Campbell
Issued: May 2022

Report

Nonfatal work injuries caused by exposure to electricity in 2020

Occupations that routinely involve electrical work are the most obvious populations at risk for electrical injury, but virtually any environment that utilizes electrical equipment or is conducted near electrical installations may involve exposure to hazardous energy. This report draws upon data from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, to provide an overview of fatal electrical injuries at work in 2020.

Download the report.

Report highlights

• U.S. workers in private industry and public administration suffered 2,380 nonfatal injuries caused by exposure to electricity in 2020.
• Workers in installation, maintenance, and repair occupations experienced the largest share of nonfatal injuries (30 percent of the total), followed by workers in service occupations (26%), construction and extraction occupations (20%), and production occupations (11%).
• Nearly two in five nonfatal electrical injuries resulted in more than one full week away from work, including 21 percent of victims who were away from work for 31 or more days.
• One-quarter (24%) of injury victims had been working for their employer for less than three months at the time of injury, while 12 percent had three to 11 months of service with their employer.
• The vast majority (85%) of victims were injured through direct exposure to electricity at work, defined as direct contact with a power source, such as contact with a live electrical wire or being struck by an electrical arc.