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NIOSH Alert: Preventing Electrocutions During Work
With Scaffolds Near Overhead Power Lines
CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) periodically issues alerts on workplace hazards that have
caused death or serious injury to workers. One such alert,
Preventing Electrocutions During Work with Scaffolds Near Overhead
Power Lines (1), was recently released and is now available to the
public. * This alert describes 13 deaths that occurred in six
separate incidents when workers erected or moved scaffolds that
came into contact with energized, overhead power lines or when they
contacted overhead power lines with conductive tools or materials
while working on scaffolds.
At least 6500 traumatic work-related deaths occur each year in
the United States (2). An estimated 7% of these fatalities are
electrocutions. From 1980 through 1986, at least 25 deaths resulted
when workers contacted overhead power lines while erecting or
moving scaffolds or while using conductive tools on scaffolds. Many
occupational groups (e.g., brickmasons, carpenters, painters,
construction laborers, and plasterers) are at risk for
electrocution because their jobs involve working from scaffolds
near overhead power lines (2).
To prevent such electrocutions, NIOSH included recommendations
in the alert to be followed by employers, managers, supervisors,
and workers where scaffolds and conductive tools or materials are
used near overhead power lines. These recommendations include
requirements mandated in current and proposed Occupational Safety
and Health Administration regulations for the construction
industry.
References
NIOSH. NIOSH alert: request for assistance in preventing
electrocutions during work with scaffolds near overhead power
lines. Cincinnati: US Department of Health and Human Services,
Public Health Service, CDC, NIOSH, 1991; DHHS publication no.
(NIOSH)91-110.
NIOSH. National Traumatic Occupational Fatality (NTOF) database.
Morgantown, West Virginia: US Department of Health and Human
Services, Public Health Service, CDC, NIOSH, Division of Safety
Research, 1991.
Single copies of this document are available without charge from
the Information Dissemination Section, Division of Standards
Development and Technology Transfer, NIOSH, 4676 Columbia Parkway,
Cincinnati, OH 45226; telephone (513) 533-8287.
Disclaimer
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**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to mmwrq@cdc.gov.
