Whenever you work with power tools or on electrical circuits there is a risk of electrical hazards, especially electrical shock. Anyone can be exposed to these hazards at home or at work. Workers are exposed to more hazards because job sites can be cluttered with tools and materials, fast-paced, and open to the weather. Risk is also higher at work because many jobs involve electric power tools.
Electrical trades workers must pay special attention to electrical hazards because they work on electrical circuits. Coming in contact with an electrical voltage can cause current to flow through the body, resulting in electrical shock and burns. Serious injury or even death may occur. As a source of energy, electricity is used without much thought about the hazards it can cause. Because electricity is a familiar part of our lives, it often is not treated with enough caution. As a result, an average of one worker is electrocuted on the job every day of every year!
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Research File for 1992-2005, electrocution is the fifth leading cause of work-related deaths for 16- to 19- year-olds, after motor vehicle deaths, contact with objects and equipment, workplace homicide, and falls. Electrocution is the cause of 7% of all workplace deaths among young workers aged 16-19, causing an average of 10 deaths per year.
There are four main types of electrical injuries: electrocution (death due to electrical shock), electrical shock, burns, and falls.