In 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 63 people were killed by coming into contact with overhead power lines. In 2008, more than 100 people were killed. This makes up about one percent of all occupational deaths in the U.S. (See Reference 1)
Overhead power lines are not insulated, unlike underground power lines, and can carry more than 500,000 volts. Some power lines may appear to have insulation but this could be merely protection from the weather. Touching power lines will cause a person to become an electrical conductor (a way for the electricity to move from the power line). (See Reference Two)
Death or injury occurs because the electric current that runs through the body interferes with heart muscle electric impulses. An intense shock such as one from a power line will stop the heart from beating. Lower level shocks can make the heart beat erratically and cause heart attacks. At the point where the contact was first made, the extreme heat produced by the electrical current will burn and blister the skin. (See Reference Three)
Examples of when people can come into direct contact with a power line are when daredevils climb pylons, when service engineers work on lines that have not been turned off or when power lines fall in a storm.
