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| Crane boom involved in an overhead power line contact fatal accident |
Description of Problem
The wide dissemination of electrical safety information depends on the actions of many groups. Based on its analysis of electrical safety in general industry, NIOSH was invited to participate on the Workplace Safety Committee of the Electrical Safety Foundation International (EFSI). ESFI is North America's only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety in the home, school, and workplace. NIOSH is now an active participant in this valuable collaboration to promote electrical safety.
Research and Development Activities
In 2004, the ESFI's Workplace Safety Committee produced the pamphlet "Look Up, Look Down, Look Out!" This was a joint educational effort between ESFI and its partners, including NIOSH, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Safety Council, du Pont, Siemens, General Electric, Leviton, Square D, and other large electrical manufacturers and suppliers in the United States. The pamphlet raises awareness of the hazard of overhead power lines. A testimonial by Olympic gold medalist Cliff Meidl, who was injured in a power line accident, leads off the pamphlet. This is followed by a self-administered quiz to both attract the user's attention and to convey power line safety facts. All quiz responses contain true information regarding power line hazards. The reader is then referred to websites of CDC, OSHA, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Construction Safety Council for more information.
R&D Outputs and Transfer Activities
NIOSH played a major role in orienting the ESFI Workplace Safety Committee's educational effort. NIOSH also contributed significantly to the conceptual development of the pamphlet. Another educational pamphlet to emphasize electric shock prevention in the workplace is in process.
Description of Intermediate Outcome
During the 1990s, accidental contact with overhead power lines was implicated in 20% of mine electrical deaths and nearly half of all other on-the-job electrical deaths. The power line injury hazard is quite similar in mining, construction, manufacturing, and other industries. Electrical safety improvements in one industry can easily cross over into others. Small contractors and Latino workers are two high-risk target groups for power line accidents. These groups require innovative avenues for dissemination of information. The ESFI pamphlet carries the overhead power line hazard awareness message to small contractors via distribution at the contractor's sales desks of Home Depot and Lowe's stores, as well as equipment rental companies. Reaching the small contractor audience in both English and Spanish will increase hazard awareness, a first step in accident reduction. The pamphlet is available in English and will soon be available in Spanish. About 800 copies have been sold. We expect future interactions between NIOSH and the ESFI to continue to raise workplace electrical hazard awareness in this and other areas.