Safety

Status
Not open for further replies.
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
I recently saw on the History Channel that lumber jacks had the highest rate of work related deats at 110 per 100,000. I started looking for more information on electricians and construction in general. But electricians unfortunatly still are leading.

From the Center for Construction Research and Training

http://www.cdc.gov/elcosh/docs/d0600/d000615/d000615.html

The numbers continue to be poor for construction compared with other industries. As of 2001, construction had just over 6% of the workforce, but 21% of work-related deaths from injuries. For all other industries combined, in 2001, the rate of work-related deaths from injuries stood at 3.9 per 100,000 full-time equivalents.

Leading causes of deaths from injuries. Falls remained the leading cause of deaths in construction (chart 10a). From 1992 to 2003, 4,234 construction workers died of construction falls, accounting for 31% of work-related deaths in the industry. Falls to a lower level caused 4,124 deaths, 97% of the deaths caused by any falls (chart 10b).

Deaths and Injuries/Illnesses among Selected Construction Occupations in 2003

In 2003, electrical power installers and ironworkers had the highest rates of deaths from injuries among construction workers, at 68.2 and 67.0 per 100,000 FTEs respectively (chart 13a). Construction laborers, the second largest trade in the industry (after carpenters), had the third-highest death rate at 27.8 per 100,000 FTEs and the largest number of deaths, 277.



Electrical power installers: The death rates were consistently much higher than in all construction, but dropped substantially by 67% between 1992 and 2002 (chart 18a). Contact with electric current was the leading cause of deaths at 83 (51% of 163) for the 11 years, followed by falls to a lower level at 55 (34%). The nonfatal rate fluctuated constantly over the years but, like the death rate, was about one-third the rate of 1992 in 2002 (chart 18b).

Electricians: The death rate fluctuated over the years but decreased by 11% from 1992 to 2002 (chart 19a). The major cause of death for electricians was contact with electric current, 411 deaths (55% of deaths among electricians), followed by falls to a lower level (128 or 17%). The nonfatal trend for this occupation was close to the trend for all construction, reaching 255 per 10,000 FTEs in 2002 (chart 19b).
 
N

nakulak

Senior Member
they had a thing about electricity on the history channel, and it said that during the late 1800's the death rate for electricians was something like 50%. Edison must have been proud. (but seriously, I wonder what he thought of that ? ("D'oh !" ?)
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
nakulak said:
it said that during the late 1800's the death rate for electricians was something like 50%. Edison must have been proud. (but seriously, I wonder what he thought of that ? ("D'oh !" ?)
Click to expand...

That is sobering.

However I don't think we are able to put this in the proper perspective.

This was time when railroad-car brake men still ran along the tops of cars in any sort of weather and factories had exposed moving parts literally everywhere....working back then was dangerous.

I am very glad things have greatly improved. :)
 
N

nakulak

Senior Member
iwire said:
That is sobering.
...
I am very glad things have greatly improved. :)
Click to expand...

agreed ! I get a chuckle when I hear someone say "you gotta break a few eggs to make an omlette", though - reason being, I've been put in the position of being the (potential) egg a few times, and its not a great place to be (whether there's a good reason or not).
 
cadpoint

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Be safe, Act Safe, Look Safely!

Be safe, Act Safe, Look Safely!

I have known of this danger, of doing electrical work, my whole career. About the same SAT's where in a Tool Box Talk in the early 90's. Some one was first, construction labors where second, and electricians where third!

I appreciated that fact over the years, that I got to listen to that presentation, and the basic facts still apply. That a man a week is Blown out of a Panel Can, or has a serious injury directly related to the vocation will happen!
 
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
Side note: History Channel is running a modern marvels episode this week called "most shocking" about tasers, lightning strikes, electric chair and fences, shock therapy, etc. Great show, everyone try to catch it this week, set your TiVo's.
 
ELA

ELA

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrical Test Engineer
Would appreciate your input

Would appreciate your input

I grew up in the electrical trade in the early 70s and the environment I was part of was very macho. Not nearly enough concern for safety and in some cases you were considered a sissy if you pushed safety issues.

Since then I have been fortunate enough to work for several large companies that insisted on lots of safety training. I believe in what I have been taught - in that safety is everyones responsibility.
So I often find myself in a position of coaching others to be more safe.

Having started out in one extreme and learned to be more safe, sometimes I question if I push too hard. I am truely concerned about others welfare and do not want to see them get hurt.

I am curious what others would think of a recent experience of mine.

I and two other people were observing as a technicain set up to test a piece of equipment that required 130Vdc inputs. We were using a DC power supply that was isolated from earth ground. So there is no potential from the (+) 130V lead to earth ground.
I mentioned to take his time as I did not want him to feel rushed because we were watching.

When I observed the person hold the bare (+130V) lead (with the supply energized) in his hand it made me cringe.

While I knew that the supply was isolated I worried about a failure of the supply or possible capacitive coupling allowing him to be shocked.

I believe in taking every precaution that is reasonably possible and in not taking unwarranted risks. There were many other ways to accomplish this task without holding a bare lead in your hand.

I expressed concern over the procedure used to this person but did not push the issue too hard. What do you think?
 
N

nakulak

Senior Member
a) if he were my employee I would have made him take a break immediately and taken him to the side and given him a tounge lashing about safe work practices and not taking unnecessary chances

b) if he were someone elses employee I would have said, "dude, I can't watch this, I'll come back when the machine is either on or you are smoking" and walked away

- I am placed in the position too often of having to work live, and doing it when its not necessary, and/or being careless on top of that is just dumb

just my 2 cents
 
Energy-Miser

Energy-Miser

Senior Member
Location
Maryland
ELA said:
I grew up in the electrical trade ... I and two other people were observing as a technicain set up to test a piece of equipment that required 130Vdc inputs. When I observed the person hold the bare (+130V) lead (with the supply energized) in his hand it made me cringe.
....
Click to expand...
It is not a good idea to get in the habit of touching bare wire to show off, or prove that it is de-energized, isolated ground, etc. I tell younger people that electricty is a form of concentrated energy, but is unlike most other forms of concentrated energy. You can see steam from a vat of hot boiling water, smell chemicals in most cases, hear a buzsaw, etc. but with a deadly electrical potential, you cannot see, hear, smell or taste anything, until it's too late. Recently someone posted several photos of injuries from electric current throuh body and arc flash, etc. I think everyone should take a peak at those. I will try to see if I can find the link again and will post it here once I do. e/m
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top