Safety Tips for Workers in Recognition of Electrical Safety Month – May, 2014

Accidents involving electricity cause thousands of injuries, many of them fatal, to workers across the United States each year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. In fact, electrocutions are among OSHA’s “Fatal Four”, which collectively represent more than half of all worker deaths in the construction industries each year.

Each year in May, the Electrical Safety Foundation International, or ESFi, sponsors “Electrical Safety Month” in the U.S. It seems an appropriate time to discuss the dangers of working around electricity for workers in any industry.

OSHA is charged with setting and enforcing workplace safety standards throughout the U.S. To create those safety standards, OSHA spends a good deal of time and resources compiling statistics relating to workplace accidents and fatalities as well as analyzing safety issues in the workplace.

Although electrical accidents can occur in other industries, workers in the construction industry are most at risk of a workplace accident involving electricity. OSHA’s “Fatal Four” includes falls, struck by object, electrocutions, and caught in/between injuries. For 2012, electrocutions were responsible for just over eight percent of all construction industry deaths, taking the lives of 66 American workers that year.

Electrical hazards can burn, shock and/or electrocute a worker. The severity of the injury caused by coming into contact with electricity can range from a mild burn or shock to cardiac arrest causing death. OSHA has a number of resources available to both employers and employees to promote electrical safety. OSHA safety tips for workers who could be exposed to electricity while on the job include:

• Always wear appropriate safety gear.
• Survey the area carefully before beginning work indoors or outdoors.
• Treat all electrical devices/wires as if they are live.
• Disconnect power sources before working anywhere near electricity.
• Use tools that do not conduct electricity.
• Keep moisture, condensation and even sweat to a minimum when working near electricity.
• Maintain a safe distance from overhead power lines when working outside.
• If a power line falls on your vehicle, try to drive away. If you cannot drive away, stay in the vehicle and call for help.
• Never touch a downed power line, even if it appears to be a dead line.
• Never try to repair an electrical line or electrical problem unless you are qualified and certified to do so.

The ESFi is a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace. One new tool launched this year by the ESFi for Electrical Safety Month is the aptly named Electrical Safety Illustrated magazine, which contains important electrical safety information for both homeowners and workers who are exposed to electricity in the workplace.

Whether you are routinely exposed to electrical hazards in the workplace or rarely come into contact with electricity, remember it only takes a split second to cause a serious, even life-threatening electrical injury. Taking the time to understand the potential hazards and how to protect yourself against them could save your life someday.

If you have been injured by an electrical accident in the workplace, or you are the surviving family member of someone killed by one, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries or loss. Contact an experienced Kentucky workers’ compensation attorney to discuss your legal options.