Safe isolation: when something goes wrong, the consequences are immediate
Everyone working on electrical systems knows the process, it’s standard practice. The risk sits in how it is carried out and what happens when it’s rushed. A circuit is switched off and assumed to be dead, or incorrect labelling is trusted without being verified, a tester isn’t properly proved, or possibly an isolation point isn’t secured because the job will “only take a minute”. Incidents still happen, even though these are well understood as critical control steps.
Around 1,000 electrical accidents are reported each year in Great Britain, with around 25–30 proving fatal, based on Health & Safety Executive (HSE) findings. (Source)
What happens when it goes wrong
Electric shock, arc flash, serious burns, or fatal injury. Even where someone survives, the impact can be long-term, including nerve damage, loss of movement, and time away from work.
Across all industries, work-related musculoskeletal disorders account for around 470,000 cases each year, but electrical incidents carry a different level of severity. When something goes wrong, the margin for error is much smaller.
Experience doesn’t remove the risk
Many of the people involved in these incidents are experienced, qualified, and competent. Familiarity with the work, pressure to get a job done, or working in environments where speed is expected can all lead to steps being shortened or assumed.
Further reading
We hope that reading this reminds you not to take safe isolation lightly, because the consequences can be immediate and, in some cases, irreversible.
Remember, if you are going through anything, whether it’s happened at work, or in your personal life, please reach out to us. We will always do our best to help, and signpost, or refer you to other support options if we cannot help directly.
Contact with electricity or electrical discharge accounts for around 5% of fatal workplace injuries, based on HSE RIDDOR data covering 2020/21 to 2024/25.
Read more on the importance of practicing safe isolation via this Electrical Safety First Guide.
