OSHA-Investigated Electrocution Fatalities in the Construction Industry, 2015-2019

9 pages•Published: December 11, 2023

Abstract

Electrocutions are preventable, but still rank as the third leading cause of death on U.S. construction jobsites between 2015 to 2019. Eight percent (8%), or 401 of the 5,172 construction-related fatalities between 2015 and 2019 were due to electrocution. The research study presented in this paper reviewed the 310 investigations conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on the electrocution-related construction fatalities that occurred between 2015-2019 to identify potential trends for these fatal electrocution incidents. This study found that contact with energized wires, especially overhead powerlines, were responsible for the majority of construction worker fatal electrocutions. As a result, this study points out the most common electrocution hazards to help construction practitioners mitigate the propensity and frequency at which these fatal events occur.

Keyphrases: accidents, construction, electrocution, fatal four, osha, safety

In: Tom Leathem, Wes Collins and Anthony Perrenoud (editors). Proceedings of 59th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference, vol 4, pages 569-577.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/JFxB
	https://doi.org/10.29007/44tf

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2023:OSHA_Investigated_Electrocution_Fatalities,
  author    = {James Jenkins and Anthony Sparkling},
  title     = {OSHA-Investigated Electrocution Fatalities in the Construction Industry, 2015-2019},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of 59th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference},
  editor    = {Tom Leathem and Wes Collins and Anthony Perrenoud},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {4},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/JFxB},
  doi       = {10.29007/44tf},
  pages     = {569-577},
  year      = {2023}}

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