Electrical incidents and fatalities
An overview
Statisitics and trend information on electrical incidents and fatalities over the past ten years was presented by the Electrical Safety Office’s Dan Murphy at the Electrical and Communications Association (ECA) Annual Conference in August 2008.
Key points highlighted in the presentation included:
- Electrical fatalities have declined significantly –
from 1998–99 to 2007–08 there were 59 electrical
fatalities (average of 5.9 per year). Between
1988–89 and 1997–98 there were 126 fatalities
(average of 12.6 per year).
- The main categories of electrical equipment
involved in fatalities were fixed wiring 31 per cent,
powerlines 29 per cent and portable appliances
25 per cent. These three categories represent
85 per cent of electrical fatalities in Queensland
over the past ten years.
- For the fatalities associated with fixed wiring during
the past ten years, the major contributing factor
was unsafe electrical work practices by electrical
workers, e.g. working live or failing to test.
- Of the 17 fatalities involving powerlines during the
past ten years, two involved unsafe electrical work
practices and approximately 60 per cent involved
unsafe non-electrical work.
- In the past ten years, electrical safety on farms
has attracted considerable attention, primarily
due to the high number of fatalities and serious
injuries involving farming equipment and overhead
powerlines. During the past two years there have
been five fatalities involving powerlines.
- Queensland has the most comprehensive
legislative requirements for the installation and
retrofitting of safety switches of any Australian
jurisdiction and now has the highest penetration
of safety switches in domestic premises of any
Australian jurisdiction at more than 63 per cent
of homes.
- Safety switches can and do save lives. In the last
ten years safety switches would have prevented
33 fatalities (56 per cent).
All electrical fatalities are a tragedy and are
preventable. To stay electrically safe everyone,
including electrical workers must meet the
requirements and follow the practical requirements
set out in Queensland’s electrical safety laws.
Last updated 21 July 2009
Other languages
