Of all the dangers present in the workplace, electrical injury is one of the most serious across a range of industries. Whether it’s high-risk environments like construction sites and farms, or typically ‘safe’ workplaces like offices, electrical accidents can be deadly.
Understanding how electrical accidents happen and knowing what to do in the aftermath could save you from injury and ensure you are properly compensated if such an accident occurs.
So, how many workplace injuries involving electricity are there each year? In this guide, we’ll take a look at the statistics, explore the causes of workplace electrical accidents and explain how we can help if you’ve been affected.
Understanding the risks of electrical injuries at work
Each year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports around 1,000 workplace incidents are directly linked to electricity in the UK — with roughly 30 resulting in fatalities. Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, contact with electricity was responsible for 4% of all workplace fatalities in the United Kingdom.
These are the most common types of electrical injury in the workplace:
- Electric shock — If your body comes into contact with a live electric current, you’ll experience pain, muscle contractions and possibly heart failure, depending on the voltage.
- Electrical burns — If your body comes in contact with high-voltage electricity, it can cause external or internal burns.
- Electrocution — In extreme cases, if your body is hit with high-voltage electricity, it could result in a fatal injury.
- Secondary injury — This could be a trip or fall caused by a sudden shock.
Causes of electrical workplace injuries
As with most workplace accidents, electrical injuries are caused by negligence. According to UK law, your employer has a duty of care to keep you and all their employees safe — including from electrical hazards. These are a few of the most common causes of electrical injury in the workplace:
- Faulty equipment — Whether it’s down to poor maintenance or malfunction, faulty equipment could expose you to live currents.
- Live wires — If you’re working near wires, you might accidentally expose them, depending on your profession.
- Faulty power sources — If your workplace has overloaded power sources or fails to adhere to installation standards, it could result in electrical faults and fires.
- Lack of training — If your employer has neglected to train you to handle hazards in the workplace, including electrical risks, you might fall victim to electrical injury.
Employer responsibility for electrical safety
Just as the HSE describes the duty of care employers have over you and your colleagues, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 states that employers must ensure the safety of employees working with or around electrical systems. This includes:
- Conducting regular risk assessments
- Maintaining equipment
- Providing adequate training
- Ensuring Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is carried out
If your employer has failed to meet these requirements and you or a colleague has been injured by an electrical accident because of this negligence, it’s time to get in touch with Injury Lawyers 4u.
How to prevent electrical injuries in the workplace
While it’s legally your employer’s responsibility to conduct risk assessments and provide equipment and policies to tackle the risks of electrical injury in the workplace, there are a number of things you can do to keep yourself safe:
- Report any damaged or faulty equipment to management immediately
- Follow all training guidelines for handling electrical tools
- Avoid overloading sockets or tampering with electrical systems
- Use PPE, like insulated gloves or boots, when required
What to do if you’ve been injured in an electrical incident at work
If the worst has happened and you’ve sustained an electrical injury, taking these steps could ensure your safety and possible future remuneration:
- Seek medical attention — Even minor electrical injuries should be checked by a medical professional to document their severity and impact.
- Report the accident — If you can’t report the accident yourself, get a trusted friend or colleague to do it for you while you seek medical attention.
- Gather evidence — If you want to pursue a compensation claim for your injury, you’ll need to gather as much evidence as you can. Collect witness statements and keep a record of medical appointments and expenses.
- Get in touch with Injury Lawyers 4u — We’ll explain your rights and explore your options for compensation without any obligation to proceed.
Why legal representation matters
As with making any case for compensation in any personal injury claim, proving fault and employer responsibility for electrical safety can be complex. Your employer could dispute the claim, drag it out or make it challenging throughout — all in an attempt to discourage you from pursuing the case. Thankfully, at Injury Lawyers 4u, we specialise in handling electricity-related injuries in the UK, which means you can pursue your claim with confidence.
With our no win, no fee policy, you won’t have to pay a penny in legal fees unless we’re successful on your behalf. For an estimate of how much compensation for general damages you could receive, use our handy compensation calculator.
Get expert help for your electrical injury claim
Electrical injuries can have life-changing consequences, but you don’t have to face them alone. At Injury Lawyers 4u, we are committed to helping you secure the compensation you need to recover and move forward. Contact us to find out more or to arrange for a free consultation with one of our expert lawyers.