Fatal Electrical Injuries Research Articles

Analysis of fatal electrical injury rates in the Russian Federation for the period of 2003 to 2021

Aim of this study is to research the fatal electrical injury rate in the Russian Federation, identified during the forensic medical investigation/examination of corpses for the period of 2003 to 2021, and to detect Russian regions, where fatal electrical injury rates are significantly higher than the national average. Based on research of annual reports, it has been established, that the fatal electrical injury reaches insignificant, but relatively stable part in the total amount of violent death and fatal mechanical injury in the Russian Federation. The analysis of fatal electrical injury rates depending on Russian regions showed that the Republics of Adygea and Kalmykia, Krasnodar Territory, Rostov, Kursk and Astrakhan regions are areas with the greatest prevalence of fatal electrical injury. A comparative data analysis for the Russian Federation with the European Union countries and the CIS countries demonstrates that the fatal electrical injury has a high frequency of occurrence in our country.

A Comprehensive Retrospective Evaluation of Autopsy Findings and Histopathological Changes in Cases of Fatal Electrocution in Western Ghats of Karnataka, India.

Background: The aim of this study is to give an account of autopsy findings and histopathological changes in fatal electrocution cases. A secondary aim was to know the epidemiological profile, cause of death, and its relation to the survival period in fatal electrical injuries. study design: A retrospective study was undertaken of all fatal electrocution cases autopsied in the mortuary of Dr. Prabhakar Kore Charitable Hospital of Belagavi, Karnataka, India between January 2011 to December 2021. Data was collected from autopsy reports, police information, and hospital records. It was further analyzed and expressed in percentages. results: Cases represented 8.2% of all autopsy cases. Only 27% of cases were due to low voltage electric current. Burn injury was seen in 81% of total cases. 43% of cases showed both entry and exit marks. When the skin of this area was sent for histopathological examination there was a mononuclear infiltrate and subepidermal separation seen. There were interstitial hemorrhages on the right atrium of the heart and hemorrhagic foci were seen on the kidneys and lungs too. Petechial hemorrhages were seen on the heart, lungs, and brain. conclusions: Histopathological findings can be used as evidence in determining the cause of death. Deaths due to electrocution demand closer awareness.

Expanding Workplace Electrical Safety to Nonelectrical Occupations: Strategies for Reducing Fatal Electrical Injuries

This article reviews 897 U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries of fatal electrical injuries between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2018. These reports were reviewed to discover common trends in workplace electrical fatalities in all industries. The data show that 64% of all workplace electrical fatalities occurred in occupations outside the electrical field, with many of the fatalities involving laborers (except construction), construction laborers, and tree-trimming occupations.

Electrically Hazardous Jobs in the U.S.

This article examined 1004 U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cases of electrical injury that occurred between January 1, 2011 and June 28, 2017. The data are examined to determine which occupations experienced fatal electrical injury. Characteristics such as the degree of injury, the nature of injury, and task assignments at the time of injury were determined. There were 705 fatal electrical injuries from all causes. There were 17 occupations with ten or more fatal cases, led by, in order, “electricians,” “construction laborers,” “laborers, except construction,” “electrical power installers and repairers,” and “tree trimming occupations.” In addition, the data are also examined to isolate fatal overhead power line injuries. Overhead power lines were involved in 246 fatal electrical shock injuries to workers and ten burn injuries. Occupations most affected by overhead power line injuries were studied in greater detail. Just six occupations account for more than one half of all those fatally injured by electricity in overhead power line cases. Occupations with ten or more fatal overhead power line injuries include, in order, “construction laborer,” “laborers, except construction,” “tree trimming occupations,” “electrical power installers and repairers,” “roofers,” and “truck drivers, heavy.” Several identified occupations with unexpected electrical exposure, such as “roofers,” “tree trimmers,” and “truck drivers,” are not usually associated with electrically hazardous jobs. Erecting, moving, and dismantling scaffolding, the use of conductive ladders, booms, and tag lines, and tree trimming in the vicinity of overhead power lines were common scenarios in which the fatal electrical injuries are studied. Working without deenergizing circuits, working without proper prejob hazard analysis and planning, and working without proper personal protective equipment also were mentioned in the accident narratives.

Testicular changes after non fatal electrical injury.

Testicular changes after non fatal electrical injury.

Detecting heart tissue injury in electrocution human cases using heart-type fatty acid-binding protein 3

Introduction: In the medicolegal daily practice, electrocution is a traumatic cause of death owing to wide use of electricity and electrical devices in different activities of modern life at home and workplaces. Electrical current passage through tissues elaborates different types of energy (the electrical, thermal, and mechanical energies) which can cause skin lesions, multiorgan damage, and even death. The severity and extent of tissue injuries depend on the current type (alternating current [AC] or direct current), its strength (amperage), voltage (low or high), frequency, tissue resistance, duration of exposure, and its pathway through the body. Microscopic examination of tissue samples from the heart may show nonspecific findings to electrocution, but sometimes none is detected by conventional hematoxylin and eosin stains (H and E). Therefore, immunohistochemical studies could help the forensic pathologists in their diagnosis, especially cases with less typical findings or obscure circumstances. Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein 3 (H-FABP3) is a small cytoplasmic protein of (15 kDa), composes of 133 amino acids, involves in active fatty acid metabolism, and transports fatty acids from the cell membrane to mitochondria for oxidation. Due to its cytoplasmic location and small molecular weight, it released from cardiac myocytes into the circulation following an ischemic episode. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of electric current on the expression of H-FABP3 in human heart tissue autopsy samples. Methods: Human heart tissue samples were collected during the period from January 1 2016 to June 30, 2016, through autopsy of 30 medicolegal cases of electrocution as well as 30 cases of fatal head injuries which were used as control. They were examined by conventional histopathological H and E stain and immunohistochemical technique so that H-FABP3 was detected using FABP3 polyclonal antibody and demonstrated by ready to use biotin-free, one-step horseradish peroxidase polymer anti-mouse, rat, and rabbit immunoglobulin G with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine to achieve the aim of this study. Results: This study shows that electric shock was the fifth cause of traumatic death, being responsible for death of only 4.5% of cases referred to the medicolegal directorate in Baghdad during the period of study. It is almost accidental death in Iraqi society with higher incidence to be due to contact with low-voltage household AC sources with young males at the age of (15–20 years old) are being more vulnerable to fatal electrical injury than females during their early productive life (with male:female ratio = 6:1). Heart tissue ischemia is a major cause of death following electrocution, especially when victim being in contact with household low-voltage AC in the presence of transthoracic pathway to the ground and low body resistance due to skin wet which can cause death within a minute in association with mild if any electrical skin burns. Electrocution has a significant effect on H-FABP3 stain total index as it causes depletion of FABP3 total stain index with mean of 0.28 ± 0.149177SD for tissue sections of the heart muscle in the affected areas of human cases. Conclusions: Immunohistochemical heart tissue samples' examination which shows dramatic depletion in H-FABP3 total stain index in affected area(s) is of value in detecting heart tissue injury caused by electrocution during the early period after death even in the absence of grossly and microscopically visible lesion(s).

Sociotechnical Systems of Fatal Electrical Injuries in the Construction Industry

AbstractThe construction industry experiences the greatest proportion of workplace electrical injuries globally. Much research effort has gone toward analyzing this phenomenon, yet a majority of which focused on isolated elements while ignored the work system. Modern work systems are complex, within which humans interact with technology, social structures, and environments. Outcomes (including accidents and injuries) resulting from such a complex system are not attained by any system element in isolation. As a result, effective risk management requires the control over the whole sociotechnical system (STS). This work demonstrates such an effort in investigating STSs. The work uses a triangulation approach in examining construction-fatality reports. The findings identify three typical STSs, reveal their system weaknesses, and provide remedial recommendations. The work contributes to the knowledge body of risk management, electrical safety, and research methodologies. The introduced triangulation approach i...

Facilitating Application of Electrical Safety Best Practices to “Other” Workers

The premise of this paper is that a significant portion of the workforce has been unintentionally overlooked in some efforts to reduce electrical injuries and fatalities in North America. This paper discusses the limitations, application, and potential impact of North American standards providing measures for electrical injury and fatality prevention and protection to workers. In particular, it discusses workers who may not be considered the primary beneficiaries of the requirements in the standard NFPA70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace. For many organizations, the focus of and improvement in electrical safety programs have largely addressed electrical workers whose primary work tasks involve construction, operation, and/or maintenance of electrical equipment. However, nearly 50% of workplace electrical injuries and fatalities are not of electrical workers. Managers and administrators, painters, truck drivers, farm workers, and grounds keepers and gardeners are among the top ten occupations having the most fatal electrical injuries. For these nonelectrical workers, the exposure to electrical hazards ranges from the use of common portable tools and appliances to unintentional contact with overhead power lines in the course of routine work activities. This paper provides methods to help facilitate the application of specific requirements in NFPA70E and CSA Z462 and other best practices to these “other” workers.

Analysis of a fatal electrical injury due to improper switch operation

Electrical accidents are significant causes of occupational fatalities in the world. The analysis carried out in this paper refers to a real accident that occurred in Greece during the repair work carried out on a medium voltage transformer of the Public Power Corporation (PPC). While attempting to restore the electrical power, the electrician climbed the pylon where the transformer was placed and tried to change the single pole fuse. The insulator of the phase broke, resulting in the release of the power distribution wire. The technician came into contact with the loose wire with his lower limb and suffered an electric shock. For a better understanding of the incident, a description of the distribution network is given. Furthermore, emphasis has been laid on possible ways to avoid similar accidents in the future.

Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

A Study Of Fatal Electrical Injuries In Smolyan District, Republic Of Bulgaria

A Study Of Fatal Electrical Injuries In Smolyan District, Republic Of Bulgaria

Roadblocks to return to work after electrical trauma

Electrical trauma in the US is the fifth leading cause of death on the job [2]; during 1992–1998, data show 2,268 fatal electrical injuries [13]. In the same period, 32,309 non-fatal lost time electrical injuries were recorded by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [9]. The complexity in patients’ clinical presentation reflects the fundamental nature of electrical injury events: these are typically high speed, multi hazard incidents [10– 12]. The clinical spectrum of electrical injury ranges from the absence of any external physical signs to severe multiple trauma requiring extensive surgical care [4,8]. Peripheral nerve disorders as described by Wilbourn [16] can complicate rehabilitation, in addition to traumatic sequella. Research suggests electrical trauma survival can be associated with significant functional impairment. In their landmark retrospective study of employees of a national electrical energy company, Gourbiere et al. reviewed the electrical trauma survival experience during 1970–1989 for a workforce between 100,000–120,000. Electrical burns affected 2080 workers. Of these, 515 patients or 25% were noted to have post-injury complications, including: 63% burn related, with amputations in 5%; 18% neuropsychiatric; 12% sensory; 5% orthopedic; and 1% cardiovascular. Sense organ disorders included vision related changes due to conjunctivitis, keratitis, and cataracts; auditory sequella, with conductive or sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo; and anosmia. In 59 of the 515 patients, disability was considered serious, with impairment rating from 31–100% [7]. Return to work success of electrical trauma patients is variable, as suggested in the report by Pliskin et al. [14]. In this series study, all patients had peripheral electrical contacts, with no evidence on history or examination of direct mechanical electrical contact with the head. (Facial injuries from electrical arc flash burns were not a basis for excluding a patient for this series study. However, two patients were excluded: one patient was excluded based on his report of repeated stray voltage exposure which could not be verified. A second patient was excluded because of a high suspicion of malingering.) A total 45 males and 8 females were included in the final analysis. These individuals had a mean age of 38.5 years (+ 11.0; 22 to 70) and a mean educational level of 13.1 years (+1.9; 8–18). Twentyone of the 53 patients were injured by voltage sources less than 1000 V (39.6%) and 27 patients sustained voltage exposures greater than 1000 V (50.9%). Fortyfour patients were hospitalized for observation or to receive initial treatment for their injuries (83.0%), while 9 patients were released after initial evaluation. Twenty patients underwent surgery for their injuries (37.7%), 32 patients received either non-surgical treatment or no treatment, and the treatment history for 1 patient was unknown. Sixteen of the 53 patients sustained a loss of consciousness as a result of their electrical accident (30.2%) and 4 patients experienced cardiac arrest (7.5%). Twenty of the 53 patients were employed as electricians or line operators at the time of injury.