With an eye to elevating worker protection through improved education measures, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) has collected information on fatal and non-fatal occupational electrical injuries from every available source. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Occupational Safety and Health Association provide raw data that ESFI reviews and analyzes as it is released to identify electrical safety trends. ESFI quantifies, synthesizes, and publishes the information from these reports in visual form to its website. The most recent data set covers the 13 years from 2011 through 2023.
“As the leading authority on electrical safety, our compilation and analysis of this data illustrates the occupations most at-risk from electrical injury and death as well as identifies the main causes,” says ESFI Executive Director Jennifer LeFevre. “Our attention to the qualitative data, including detailed incident narratives for over 1,000 workplace fatalities, helps guide ESFI’s work in targeting those who would most benefit from electrical safety education. Using this research to shape our programs allows us to create messaging that assists employees in making safe choices and provide guidance for creating a safer work environment. We encourage everyone to utilize ESFI’s free-to-share resources to elevate workplace safety and prevent avoidable injuries and fatalities.”
Contact with or exposure to electricity continues to be one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities and injuries in the United States. Between 2011 and 2023, BLS records indicate a total of 1,940 workplace fatalities involving electricity, nearly three-quarters in occupations outside of electrical work. Among key takeaways from ESFI analyses of federal agency records:
Workplace Fatalities and Injuries, 2011-2023
- Construction industry had the highest number of electrical fatalities;
- 74 percent of workplace electrical fatalities occurred in non-electrical occupations;
- 26 percent of workplace electrical fatalities occurred in electrical occupations;
- 5.6 percent of all fatalities were caused by contact with electricity; and,
- Electrical fatalities stay consistent year over year, with a slight downward trend since 2011.
Occupations with the Most Electrical Fatalities
- Electricians, 212
- Laborers, except construction, 142
- Construction laborers, 131
- Electrical power installers and repairers, 122
- Tree trimming occupations, 64
- Electricians’ apprentices, 45
- HVAC and refrigeration mechanics, 43
- Roofers, 38
- Heavy duty truck drivers, 35
- Painters, construction and maintenance, 32
ELECTRICAL FATALITY RATES
Electrical fatality rates per 100,000 workers have remained consistent while overall fatality rates have increased. Hispanic or Latino workers have a disproportionately high rate of electrical fatalities, and that rate is increasing.
Construction and extraction occupations, installation, maintenance, and repair occupations, and building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations have the highest rate of electrical fatalities. ESFI partners with industry leaders, including those comprising its Board of Directors, to develop key resources and consistent electrical safety messages. By addressing evolving and emerging electrical safety needs in the workplace and then deploying effective electrical safety materials and programs based on those needs, electrical injuries and fatalities can decrease through proper education of the workforce.
“Most of the electrical fatalities that occurred in the workplace were from accidental contact with electricity,” observes ESFI Program Director Daniel Majano, who compiled the data. “It is important to always be aware of your surroundings when at a job site. Whether it’s to always look up to spot overhead power lines or knowing what might be energized around your job site, it is imperative to know all the possible contact points of electricity around you. Over 74 percent of the workplace electrical fatalities that occurred between 2011 and 2023 were in non-electrical occupations that may have not received electrical safety training.”