Fatality & Injury Statistics

Electricity travels in closed circuits, normally through a conductor. The human body, an efficient conductor of electricity, can mistakenly become part of the electric circuit. This can cause an electrical shock. Shocks occur when a person's body touches the following:

• Both wires of an electric circuit
• One wire of an energized circuit and the ground
• A metal part that accidentally becomes energized due, for example, to a break in its insulation
• Another "conductor" that is carrying a current

When a person receives a shock, electricity flows between parts of the body or through the body to a ground or the earth. An electric shock can result in anything from a slight tingling sensation to immediate cardiac arrest. The severity depends on the following:

• The amount of current flowing through the body
• The current's path through the body
• The length of time the body remains in the circuit
• The current's frequency

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles data about electricity-related incidents in the workplace that result in fatalities and injuries. In 2016, 53 percent of all fatal electrical injuries occurred in the construction industry, down from 60 percent the preceding year. The construction industry recorded 82 fatal electrical injuries in 2016, the highest number of all workplaces.

Serious shocks and burns also occur from contact with electricity. During the period from 1992 to 2010, there were approximately 3,500 electricity-related injuries recorded per year.

To learn more about Construction Electrical Safety visit our Construction Electrical Safety Online Training web page.