CPWR Quarterly Data Report: Electrocutions and Prevention in the Construction Industry

Electrocution is a leading cause of fatalities in construction, one of OSHA’s “Focus Four” construction safety hazards. In 2015, 82 construction workers died of electrocution, accounting for 61 percent of work-related electrocution fatalities in the United States. A just-published CPWR Quarterly Data Report, “Electrocutions and Prevention in the Construction Industry,” examines the statistics and trends in detail. About one-third (32 percent) of the electrocution fatalities occurred among electrical contractors; among occupations, power-line installers had the highest rate of electrocution deaths.

There’s some good news: between 2003 and 2015, the number of electrocution deaths in construction decreased by 39 percent. But 82 is still an unacceptably high number. CPWR offers toolbox talks covering topics such as electric wiring, electrical power and overhead power lines, and its Construction Solutions database walks users through evaluating and addressing electricity hazards.

CLICK HERE to download “Electrocutions and Prevention in the Construction Industry.”