45
THE CONSTRUCTION CHART BOOK
Fatalities from Contact with Electricity in Construction
Electrocution is one of the leading causes of death in construction (see
page 43). From 1992 to 2010, a total of 2,432 construction workers
died from electrocution at job sites, accounting for nearly half of the
overall work-related electrocution deaths (5,104) in the United States.1
Nevertheless, the rate of electrocution deaths in construction dropped
from 2.1 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers (FTEs, see
Glossary) in 1992 to 0.9 per 100,000 FTEs in 2007, about a 57%
decrease before the economic downturn (chart 45a). In 2010, the number of electrocution fatalities fell to the lowest level in decades, but the
rate of electrocution deaths remained similar to 2007.
Despite the declining trend, construction workers still experience a high risk of death from contact with electricity. Between 2008
and 2010, electrocution deaths still accounted for 9.3% (252 deaths) of
the total fatal injuries in construction.1 Of the 252 deaths, 69 were
electricians and 41 were construction laborers (chart 45b). While the
number of deaths among electrical power-line installers was smaller
(17 deaths), this occupation had a higher death rate than any other
occupation in construction. Assuming the fatality rate remains the
same as in 2003-2007, the probability of an electrocution death is
about 1.6% (16.1 deaths per 1,000 FTEs) for electrical power-line
installers if they work in construction for 45 years (chart 45c). The
high lifetime risk of electrocution is not only for electrical workers, but
also among non-electrical workers such as helpers, ironworkers,
roofers, and heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics.
The risk of electrocution for construction workers is extraordinarily
elevated, considering that a lifetime risk of one death in 1,000 workers is a high risk level (see page 42).
45a. Number and rate of electrocution deaths in construction,
1992-2010
The causes of electrocutions vary for electrical and nonelectrical construction workers. Between 2008 and 2010, the main
cause of electrocution deaths among electrical workers was contact
with "live" (energized) electrical equipment and wiring (57.5%; chart
45d). This suggests that many electrocution deaths could have been
avoided if the electrical circuits and equipment were de-energized,
locked out, or tagged out before a worker began working on them.
For non-electrical workers, the main cause of electrocution
deaths was contact with overhead power-lines, accounting for 58.2%
of these deaths. About one-fifth (20.8%) of overhead power-line electrocution deaths were due to direct contact of the worker’s body
with the live power-line or lighting equipment. The remaining deaths
occurred when non-electrical workers contacted objects or machinery
– especially ladders, poles, and cranes – which were in direct contact
with a power-line.1 Working too close to energized electrical
equipment and wiring, lack of ground fault circuit interrupters, and
contact with objects energized by power sources other than overhead
power-lines were also causes of electrocutions among non-electrical
workers.
Overall, contact with overhead power-lines was the main
cause of electrocution deaths from 2008 to 2010, causing a total of 119
deaths (47% of the overall electrocution deaths), or about 40 deaths
per year. Construction laborers shared the largest proportion of such
fatalities (23%), even exceeding electrical workers (19%; chart 45e).
45b. Number of electrocution deaths in construction,
selected construction occupations, 2008-2010 total
Number of deaths
200
2.5
Number
Rate
1.0
50
0.5
0
Deaths per 100,000 FTEs
1.5
100
69
Laborer
2.0
150
Number of deaths
Electrician
41
Foreman
22
Power-line installer
17
Roofer
17
Heat A/C mech
14
Painter
13
Plumber
13
0.0
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
Year
2004
2006
2008
2010
Carpenter
9
1.All numbers on this page were estimated from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. This research was conducted with restricted access to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the BLS.
45
45c. Lifetime risk of electrocution deaths in construction,
selected construction occupations
THE CONSTRUCTION CHART BOOK
45d. Major causes of electrocution deaths in construction,
electrical workers vs. non-electrical workers,
2008-2010 total
Lifetime risk per 1,000 FTEs
Power-line installer
Electrician
Helper
Ironworker
Heat A/C mech
Roofer
Welder
Laborer
Truck driver
Painter
Foreman
Brickmason
Plumber
Operating engineer
Construction manager
Carpenter
All construction
16.1
2.3
1.8
1.1
1.0
1.0
0.7
0.7
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.5
Electrical
equipment &
wiring
57.5%
20.6%
26.4%
Overhead power-lines
58.2%
Machine/Appliance/
Tool/Lighting fixture
11.5%
Electrical workers
Non-electrical workers
17.6%
45e. Overhead power-line electrocution deaths, by construction occupation, 2008-2010 total
Total = 119 deaths
Other trades (18%)
Construction laborer (23%)
Carpenter (5%)
Painter (9%)
Electrical worker (19%)
Foreman/manager (13%)
Roofer (13%)
Note:
All charts - Data cover all employment.
Chart 45d - There were 87 electrocution deaths among electrical workers and 165 electrocution deaths among non-electrical workers between 2008 and 2010.
Chart 45e - Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Source:
All charts - Fatality numbers were estimated from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. This research was conducted with restricted access to Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) data. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the BLS. Numbers of FTEs were obtained from the Current Population Survey. Calculations by
CPWR Data Center.