If you’re considering a career as an Electrician, you might wonder if it’s a dangerous profession. After all, you could work with high-voltage electricity that might shock, harm, or even kill you. But did you know that out of more than 735,000 Electricians working in the U.S., only a small percentage gets killed on the job? And most fatalities are more likely to be the result of a fall than from that electricity that could shock you.
Electricians On-the-Job Injuries and Deaths
In 2017, there were 8.4 deaths per 100,000 electricians. Compare that to a groundskeeper (15.9 per 100K) or farmer (24 per 100K) or even your local garbage collector (34.9 per 100K) and the dangers of a career as an Electrician don’t seem quite as scary.
But there are dangers. “Common injuries include electrical shocks, falls, burns, and other minor injuries.”On the other hand, a study that looked at fatalities and injuries for the profession over more than a decade found a decline in both.There are more safety measures put in place today and workers are following them. The study did note, though, that younger workers are more likely to make mistakes that can lead to death. The more experienced you are, the less likely you will be to get injured. That’s why it’s so important to get proper training and field experience.
Safety Training for Electricians
In a good Electrician training program, you will get lots of hands-on experience to learn how to stay safe. You’ll be presented with real-life situations in a controlled environment so you can develop great problem solving and safety skills. You will spend a lot of time in the lab working on real electrical units with actual industry equipment.
And when you begin your career, you’ll most likely work with a master Electrician who will show you everything you need to know in order to remain safe. Even the licensing exam to become an Electrician will have questions regarding safety so you’ll be prepared with knowledge for the real world. And once you’re licensed, your employer should provide on-the-job training. Large employers might have a full-time safety officer who conducts weekly meetings on everything from how to prevent shocks to ladder safety, as well as enactments of real-life incidents that can result in injury. They are required to provide certain levels of safety training to their employees by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Electricians Are in Demand
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Electrician jobs are expected to increase much faster than average through 2029. With many in the profession retiring, electrical contractors have had to turn down jobs because they can’t find enough qualified Electricians to do the work. Does this sound like the career for you?
You could work on new construction sites, in private homes and businesses, or be on the staff of a large hospital or manufacturing plant as their full-time Electrician. Electricians are also well-paid compared to other trades. And when many people lost their jobs during the coronavirus shutdown, Electricians stayed on the job as essential workers.
At Porter and Chester Institute, you can complete hands-on Electrician training in Connecticut and Massachusetts in as little as one year. Want to find out more? To take the next step toward a rewarding career, please fill out the form or give us a call at 800-870-6789.
