Common Causative Factors of Electrocution in Construction Workers

Running head: HEALTHCARE
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What are the common causative factors?
Almost 75% of population in the developing nations is employed as construction workers.
Hence, it counts up to a rough estimate of 180 million people working in this industry. However,
it’s shocking to notice the casualties they are prone too. A large proportion of these casualties are
because of Electrocution which can either cause in the death of the individual or several forms of
injury. Human body being a good conductor of electricity is susceptible to electrocution. Few of
these injuries are caused due to negligence by the workers while others are caused due to
occupational hazards (Awolusi, Marks & Hallowell, 2018). Mostly, it’s the electricians working
in the construction sites who are prone to damages by electrocutions. However, even the laborer,
painters; plumbers; etc. are also exposed to such risks. These damages can be caused by the
faulty electrical equipment’s, live electrical wires which are exposed to contact and not properly
grounded, and unorganized power cables. The chance of electrocution gets multiplied when the
workers need to work on wet platforms or they touch any of the equipment with moist hands.
The aerial power lines are another major contributor to Electrocution (Zhao et al. 2015). Most of
the times, they transmit electricity at extremes of Voltages. Any form of contact with them can
result in instant death.
Hence, they need to protect themselves from electrocution.
What does data indicate?
According the data statistics, electricity can kill. On each and every year more than 2000
accidents are being reported at the construction site that involves the electric shocks or the burns.
These data indicates that factor that more than 30% of the injuries reported are fatal. As per the
world statistics regrading the construction site injury, the accidents caused by the electric shocks

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comes second to the list after falling from heights. According to the data gathered from the
World accidents the construction industry through out the world comprises of more than 8% of
the U.S workforces and 44% of the accidents are caused due to the electrocution with the
involvement of the heavy equipment. As per the study by Guo, Yu and Skitmore (2017) the
construction industry comprises of 53% of the occupational hazard related toe electrocutions and
electrocution due to the involvement of the heavy equipment accounts around 51% of the
hazards. As per the statistics more than 90% of the accidents of the power line involves the
overhead distribution conductors.
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