CLASSIFICATION OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL ELECTROCUTIONS

The objective of this study was to describe fatal occupational electro cutions that occurred in Quebec between 1981 and 1988 and propose a cl assification suitable for setting up a prevention agenda. Of 63 fatali ties, an investigation report was available in 57 (90.5%). They all oc curred among males, 70.2% of whom were under the age of 35; 49.1% were performing a task related to the construction sector. A principal fac tor analysis allowed classification of 90.2% of the fatalities in two categories: victims assigned to electrical tasks indoors and those ass igned to non-electrical tasks outdoors. The first group (56.5% of the cases) was electrocuted by direct contact with voltage less than 10 Kv olts and the second by the intermediary of a vector with voltage above 10 Kvolts. The identification of the two patterns of electrocutions p rovided an additional argument for shifting recommendations for preven tion from educating the workers, to reducing the electrical hazards at the source.