What to Know if You Are Electrocuted at Work
Many workers are exposed to electrical hazards in their workplaces. Whether working with damaged extension cord plugs, temporary lighting systems, or faulty power connections in the office or maneuvering around fallen power lines or operating electrical equipment outside in the rain, the threat of electrocution is real.
Electrical shocks and burns are frightening and painful injuries. The recovery period may be long, sometimes even requiring physical therapy. Electrical current exposure may cause serious neurological damage, including brain damage, paralysis or even death, which can be a precursor to a wrongful death claim.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has long recognized electricity as a serious workplace hazard and has designed standards to protect employees from electrical shocks, burns, and fatalities. If you have been electrocuted at work, workers’ compensation may cover your injury-related expenses.
What Industries Experience the Most Electrocution Injuries and Deaths?
Electrocution injuries and deaths happen most frequently in the construction and manufacturing industries.
Top Industries at Risk of Electrocution Injuries in 2018
| Industry | % of Electrocution Injuries |
| Construction | 20% |
| Manufacturing | 16% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 13% |
| Education & Health Services | 11% |
| Accommodation & Food Services | 10% |
Source: ESFI Workplace Injury & Fatality Statistics, 2003-2018
The construction and manufacturing industries were also responsible for 54% and 7%, respectively, of the 160 electrical fatalities in 2018.
Electrocution at work occurs when workers receive electrical shocks or electrical burns. Electrical shocks are more frequent and accounted for 69% of all non-fatal electrocution injuries and 100% of electrocution deaths in 2018. And 9% of all electrocution injuries in 2018 were fatal.
If you or a loved one sustained an electrocution injury, don’t hesitate to contact the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. We have the experience and resources to help you pursue the compensation and benefits you may need and deserve.
What Jobs Are Most at Risk for Electrocution?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) highlights the following as common electrical hazards that may result in electrical shocks and burns:
- Dangerous power connections
- Damaged extension cord plugs
- Temporary lighting systems
- Accidental energizing of equipment
- Contact with overhead electrical wires and fallen power lines
- Working in damp or wet locations while operating electrical equipment
While some of these events occur in many, if not most occupations, jobs dealing with installation, maintenance, repair, and service account for almost half (47%) of the electrocution accidents at work.
Top Occupations for Electrical Injuries and Illnesses in 2018
| Occupation | Count of Injuries
in 2018 |
Share of Total Injuries
in 2018 |
| Installation, Maintenance & Repair | 390 | 25% |
| Service | 350 | 22% |
| Construction & Extraction | 200 | 13% |
| Production | 190 | 12% |
| Transportation & Material Moving | 90 | 6% |
| Education/Legal/Community Service/Arts & Media | 70 | 4% |
| Computer, Engineering & Science | 40 | 3% |
| Sales and Related | 40 | 3% |
| Management, Business & Financial | 30 | 2% |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Practical | 30 | 2% |
| Office & Administrative | 20 | 1% |
| Other | 110 | 7% |
| Total | 1,560 | 100% |
Source: ESFI Workplace Injury & Fatality Statistics, 2003-2018
Electrocution in the Construction Industry
Construction workers have been found to be four times more likely to be electrocuted than workers in all other industries combined. OSHA has even included electrocution as one of the Focus Four Hazards for the construction industry. OSHA has also created many electrical standards, training, and regulations to protect construction workers from injuries and deaths caused by electrocution.
Types of Electrocution Injuries at Work
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), electrical injuries at work fall into four categories:
- Fatal electrocution
Example: a crane worker is electrocuted when his crane gets tangled in a live power line
- Electric shock
Example: an office worker gets shocked trying to fix a broken copier
- Electric burns
Example: a welder gets a thermal burn from a faulty welding iron
- Falls due to contact with electricity
Example: a power line worker falls from the aerial bucket after being shocked working on a transformer
These injuries are caused by many different situations, but the most common workplace electrical hazards include:
- Inadequate wiring
Example: using an extension cord with insufficient wiring for a power tool - Overloads
Example: plugging too many devices into a power strip - Ungrounded electrical circuits
Example: holding a drill that is connected to an ungrounded circuit - Temporary wiring
Example: damaging the electrical cord of the lights while stapling a string of lights into place - Overhead power lines
Example: touching a live downed power line - Unlabeled live parts of electrical equipment
Example: coming into contact with an electrical current of live equipment
Who Is Liable If I am Electrocuted at Work?
Workers’ compensation is a “no fault” system, which means that you are likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits even if the injury was your fault. Workers’ compensation insurance helps employers provide injured workers with medical care and compensation for the wages they lost while unable to return to work.
If an electrocution injury or death is caused by a person or company other than your employer, called a third party, you could potentially file a workers’ compensation claim with your employer, as well as a third-party claim against that other person or organization. Examples of third parties who could potentially be held liable for your electrocution injury or the electrocution death of a loved one would include power companies, contractors, and property owners.
Contact Our Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been electrocuted at work, you should contact an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. The workers’ compensation team at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin includes many attorneys who have 10+ years of experience on workers’ compensation cases as well as several NC State Bar Board Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation Law.
Call 1-866-900-7078 or fill out this free case evaluation form today. Tell them you mean business.
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