July 21, 2003—Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offices in the Southeastern US are offering a free “Electrical Outreach” compact disc to assist employers in preventing worker exposure to the hazards commonly found in performing electrical work. OSHA investigated 46 worker fatalities involving electrical hazards in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi between October 1, 2001, and September 30, 2002.
Along with training presentations and Internet links, the CD contains actual photographs of various electrical hazards, discusses the OSHA regulations that are related to the depicted hazards, and provides information about how to remove or correct hazards before an employee is injured.
Because 23 of the 46 fatalities involved workers coming in contact with overhead electrical power lines, the agency has also developed a regional emphasis program to address potential hazards at these worksites.
As part of this effort to reduce worker fatalities, investigators will address electrical hazards during inspections at other worksites and distribute special outreach materials where electrical hazards could potentially be encountered.
Six of the 46 fatalities involved workers who were exposed to electrical hazards as they installed plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning units or cables. Federal OSHA offices in the Southeast are mailing advisory letters to cable-installing, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning companies advising them of electrical hazards associated with their industries.
For more information or to obtain copies of the electrical safety material, visit OSHA, contact a local OSHA office listed in the government section of the phone book, or call the Atlanta regional office at 404/562-2300.
