These organizations raise awareness of electrical hazards on construction sites to prevent avoidable injuries and fatalities.

ARLINGTON, Va., July 2, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESF) and CPWR – Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) are collaborating on a campaign to raise awareness of electrical safety in construction. The campaign aims to educate the public about electrical hazards on construction sites to prevent preventable injuries and fatalities.

Materials created for the campaign include:

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the construction industry has one of the highest rates of workplace injuries and deaths in the United States. Among the many types of injuries are those caused by exposure to electricity: In 2022, 62 of the 145 fatal workplace injuries involving electricity occurred in the construction industry.^AND Those most at risk include construction workers, tree trimmers, heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, truck drivers, roofers and painters involved in construction and maintenance work.ⁱⁱ

“By identifying the leading causes of electrical fatalities on construction sites, ESF and CPWR can focus on all construction industries to educate about electrical hazards,” said ESF President Brett Brenner. “This partnership will allow both organizations to have an impact on reducing the number of electrical injuries and fatalities that occur each year.”

According to an article in IEEE Industry Applications Magazine that analyzed OSHA data on fatal electrical injuries, the most common cause of workplace electrical injuries was contact with overhead power lines. It was the cause of death for 84 percent of tree trimmers, 81 percent of roofers, 78 percent of construction and maintenance painters, 76 percent of truck drivers and 60 percent of construction workers. The second most common cause was contact with or working near energized wires or parts. It was the cause of death for 90 percent of heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and another 35 percent of construction workers.ⁱⁱ

The campaign materials include an infographic on OSHA’s four construction hazards, which include electrocution, falls, impacts, and entrapment. Simple tips to keep workers safe on the jobsite include locating and identifying utilities, such as overhead power lines and underground wires, before starting work, and staying a safe distance away from power lines. It’s also imperative that portable power tools are not used unless they are grounded or double-insulated, and that ground fault protection is always used.

“CPWR is pleased to partner with ESF to raise awareness of the electrical hazards affecting the construction industry, as well as ways to protect workers from them,” says CPWR Executive Director Chris Trahan Cain, CIH. “So many fatal accidents in our industry—electrical and otherwise—can be avoided with better engineering controls, work practices and training.”

Learn what steps you can take to prevent construction-related workplace injuries to keep workers of all construction trades safe on the jobsite. For ESF’s complete collection of free electrical safety resources, visit esfi.org. For more information about CPWR, visit cpwr.com.

About ESF
The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESF) is the trusted voice for electrical safety. ESF’s mission is to prevent electrical-related injuries, deaths, and fires; to save lives and property through public education and outreach. For free workplace safety resources to share with your community, visit esfi.org.

About CPWR
CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed by the North American Construction Trade Unions (NABTU). Its mission is to reduce occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the construction industry through research, training, and service programs. CPWR is uniquely positioned to serve the American construction worker, contractor, and research community, having collaborated with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on the NIOSH Construction Safety and Health Research Initiative for three decades.

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^AND U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2022 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) https://www.bls.gov/iif/
ⁱⁱ D. Majano and B. Brenner, “Why Do Electrical Fatalities Occur in the Workplace?: Understanding the Human Factors in Fatalities,” in IEEE Industry Applications Magazine, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 51–60, May–June 2024, doi: 10.1109/MIAS.2023.3328549.

Contact:
Brianne Deerwester
Electrical Safety Foundation
703.841.3295
(email protected)

The photo accompanying this ad is available at