Executive Summary

• 86% of electrical professionals admit they have experienced an ‘electrical incident’ at work, while 78% have experienced a ‘near miss’, according to Martindale Electric
• 86% of those polled said they were ‘very familiar’ with Safe Isolation Procedures – yet only 55% said they always followed it in full before starting work
• More than half of those polled said the most recent incident or near miss they experienced or witnessed was not reported formally

A new research survey has warned of a gap between knowing safety best practices and applying them on site – as 86% of electrical professionals admit that they have experienced an ‘electrical incident’ at work.

Alongside this, 78% of professionals surveyed by Martindale Electric have experienced a ‘near miss’ – ranging from minor electric shocks, to arc events, to unexpected energisation. Just under two thirds (64%) of respondents said they had witnessed an electrical incident involving another electrician on the job.

The study, which polled 475 responses from electricians, electrical contractors, installers, facilities and maintenance professionals, looked to better understand real-world experiences of electrical safety, incidents and reporting across the industry. More than half of those polled said the most recent incident or near miss they experienced or witnessed was not reported formally.

86% of those polled said they were very familiar with Safe Isolation Procedures – yet only 55% said they always followed it in full before starting work. If the Safe Isolation Procedure had not been followed fully prior to starting work, the most common reason given was ‘confidence the circuit was dead’, cited by 46% of those polled, as well as time pressures (25%).

To this end, Martindale Electric has outlined a five-step framework, titled ALIVE, to make safe isolation ‘second nature’ for anyone working on or near electrical systems. The acronym refers to approved kit against legal safety standards; lockout; initial prove of the voltage indicator against a proving unit; the voltage test itself; and ensuring the voltage indicator must be re-tested against the proving unit before starting work.

“These figures show that electrical incidents and near misses are still far too common on site and that too many go unreported,” says Steve Dunning, managing director of Martindale Electric.

“It is positive to see that almost every respondent to our research recognises the Safe Isolation Procedure, but recognising it and following it fully every single time are clearly two different things,” added Dunning, noting the ALIVE acronym ‘takes the guesswork out of staying safe.’ “We really want to encourage everyone working around electricity to maintain their awareness of electrical safety procedures and use the resources available to keep their knowledge up to date on the latest safety practices and guidance.”

Read more: IET Study Shows Concerning Confidence Gap in UK Home Electrical Safety