Completed Research

Between 1992-98, Census of Fatal Occupation Injury data revealed that contact with electrical current caused 1,006 of 7,489 (13.4%) construction industry deaths, and arc flash/blasts caused 17 deaths. The overall objective of this pilot intervention project is to evaluate the effectiveness of worker electrical inspections on construction sites with follow-up in reducing the number of electrical hazards, the fourth leading cause of deaths of construction workers. The specific aims are: 1) to evaluate the effectiveness of inspections at a construction site by a trained electrician in eliminating electrical hazards; 2) to implement twice weekly inspections of a construction site to identify electrical hazards are corrected.

The research method involves; 1)sending an electrician to the 4-day OSHA 309A course, Electrical Standards and Electrical Safe Work Practices; 2) conducting twice weekly electrical inspections of the chosen construction site using a personal digital assistant (PDA); 3) transmitting inspection findings to site management; 4) follow-up by site management to ensure that electrical hazards are corrected; and 5) analyzing the effectiveness of inspections and follow-up through number and type of electrical hazards identified and time to abate them.