A recent review of 1982 death certificates in Texas identified
electrocution as the fifth leading cause of fatal occupational
injuries among men (1). To help understand the circumstances
leading
to these fatal events, the Texas Department of Health has reviewed
all
occupational electrocutions noted on Texas death certificates from
1981 through 1985.
The study included only civilian decedents who were 16 years of
age or older and who were electrocuted while at work in Texas.*
Death
certificates for decedents meeting this definition were reviewed
for
information on the decedent's occupation and the industry involved
and
for any notation regarding the circumstances surrounding the event.
Information on the occupation and industry was coded according to
the
classification index of the Bureau of the Census (2).
A total of 337 workers were electrocuted at Texas worksites
during
the 5-year study period. All but one of the decedents were male.
Age
at death ranged from 17 to 77 years, with a mean of 31.5 years; 238
(71%) of the decedents were less than 35 years old. These
work-related
electrocutions were responsible for an estimated 11,337 years of
potential life lost before age 65. White, non-Hispanic males
accounted
for 77% of the fatalities; Hispanic males, for 16%; and black
males,
for 6%.
Electrocution most frequently involved construction laborers,
oilfield workers, electricians working for utility companies, other
electricians, and truck drivers (Table 1). Of the 174 fatalities
occurring in these five occupational groups, 51 (29%) occurred when
workers came in direct contact with energized lines or power
sources;
21 (12%) occurred when transport vehicles (trucks, forklifts,
booms,
etc.) came in contact with energized lines; 13 (7%) resulted from
contact with equipment the worker was operating (power saws,
drilling
rigs, electric motors, etc.); 10 (6%) occurred when materials or
equipment (ladders, grain augers, scaffolds, pipes, etc.) that the
worker was using contacted energized wires or power sources; and 12
(7%) resulted from other circumstances. Data from the remaining 67
(39%) death certificates for workers in these occupational groups
were
insufficient to categorize the circumstances surrounding the
deaths.
Nearly half (47%) of the electrocutions occurred in the
construction industry. Another quarter of the fatalities occurred
in
the oil and gas extraction industries (13%) and the transportation,
communications, and utilities industries (11%). Based on estimates
of
industry-specific employment over the 5-year study period, the
average
annual mortality rate for occupational electrocutions was
7.5/100,000
persons at risk in the construction industry; 4.0/100,000 in the
oil
and gas industry; and 2.0/100,000 in the transportation,
communications, and utilities industries. In contrast, the average
annual mortality rate for occupational electrocutions in all other
industries combined was 0.3/100,000. From 1981 through 1985, the
annual number of occupational electrocutions declined steadily
(Figure
1). Examination of the yearly industry- specific totals indicated
that
only the construction industry had a significant decline in the
number
of deaths over the 5-year study period. The decrease in
construction
activity in Texas during this time could account for this change.
Reported by: DM Perrotta, PhD, J Brender, RN, PhD, L Suarez, MS, MJ
Preece, L Carmichael, TG Betz, MD, MPH, State Epidemiologist, Texas
Dept of Health. Office of the Director, National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health, CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: From previous on-site investigations of 121
occupational electrocutions, the National Institute for
Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) has identified five primary causes of
such
fatalities: 1) direct physical contact between the worker and
energized lines; 2) contact of a vehicular boom with energized
powerlines; 3) contact of other equipment with energized
powerlines;
4) direct contact of the worker with energized equipment or
conductors; and 5) improperly installed or broken equipment (3-8).
Comprehensive on-site reviews of the electrocutions in Texas had
not
been conducted; however, conclusions regarding the primary causes
of
worksite electrocutions from the Texas death certificate-based
study
were similar to those from the NIOSH investigations. Data routinely
available from death certificates are useful for directing
preventive
efforts because they document the frequency of work-related
electrocutions and identify the occupations and industries in which
these fatalities are occurring most frequently.
Texas workers who died from electrocutions were younger (32
years
of age) than the average worker dying from an occupational fatality
(37 years of age) in Texas. This difference underscores the need
for
training new or younger workers to be aware of the risk of
electrocution. Employers engaged in construction and other
high-risk
activities should ensure that all workers, particularly those in
occupations at greatest risk (Table 1), are familiar with
appropriate
safety precautions for working near energized lines. Electrical
equipment should be kept in sound working condition, inspected
regularly, and used appropriately.
Bureau of the Census. 1980 census of population: classified
index
of industries and occupations. Washington, DC: US Department of
Commerce, 1980.
Mills GR. Preventing electrocutions through engineering
controls
and public awareness. Presentation at the Society for
Occupational
and Environmental Health Conference, April 8, 1987, Bethesda,
Maryland.
Centers for Disease Control. Request for assistance in
preventing
electrocutions from contact between cranes and power lines.
Cincinnati: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public
Health Service, 1985. DHHS publication no. (NIOSH)85-111.
Centers for Disease Control. Request for assistance in
preventing
grain auger electrocutions. Cincinnati: US Department of Health
and Human Services, Public Health Service, 1986; DHHS
publication
no. (NIOSH)86-119.
Centers for Disease Control. Request for assistance in
preventing
electrocutions of workers in fast food restaurants. Cincinnati:
US
Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service,
1984; DHHS publication no. (NIOSH)85-104.
Centers for Disease Control. Request for assistance in
preventing
electrocutions due to damaged receptacles and connectors.
Cincinnati: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public
Health Service, 1986; DHHS publication no. (NIOSH)87-100.
Centers for Disease Control. Request for assistance in
preventing
fatalities of workers who contact electrical energy.
Cincinnati:
US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health
Service,
1986; DHHS publication no. (NIOSH)87-103.
*Death classified as category E925 according to the International
Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, and positive response to
the
"Injury at work?" question.
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