Ardeshir Sheikhazadi1, Mehrzad Kiani, Mohammad H Ghadyani. 1. Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Poursina St Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, Iran. ardeshirsheikhazadi@yahoo.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Electrical burns are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which are usually preventable with simple safety measures. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of non-lightening electrocution deaths in Tehran, Iran, between 2002 and 2006. RESULTS: Of 295 deaths, 285 investigated were accidental. The remnants were suicidal. The age range was 11 months to 75 years with a mean age of 28.99 + or - 12.58 years. Two hundred seventy-nine victims (96.6%) were males. The upper extremity was the most frequently involved contact site in 185 deaths (66.3%). No electrical burn marks were present in 16 (5.4%) cases. Workrelated accidents were responsible for 188 cases deaths (63.9%) and home accident for 85 cases deaths (28.8%). Deaths were caused most frequently by touching an electrical cable (95 cases, 32.2%). There was an increase in electrocution deaths in the summer (119 cases, 40.3%). One hundred seventy-nine cases (60.7%) were dead on the scene of death and 94 cases (31.9%) were dead on arrival at hospital. The unique findings of our study include 10 cases (3.4%) of suicidal electrocution and a high rate of workrelated accidental electrocution among Afghan workers. CONCLUSION: Death rates from electrocution among all medico-legal deaths were found to be lower in our study than in previous reports, most of them were work-related and preventable. Workers and their employers should be educated to avoid such accidents with safety measures.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Electrical burns are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which are usually preventable with simple safety measures. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of non-lightening electrocution deaths in Tehran, Iran, between 2002 and 2006. RESULTS: Of 295 deaths, 285 investigated were accidental. The remnants were suicidal. The age range was 11 months to 75 years with a mean age of 28.99 + or - 12.58 years. Two hundred seventy-nine victims (96.6%) were males. The upper extremity was the most frequently involved contact site in 185 deaths (66.3%). No electrical burn marks were present in 16 (5.4%) cases. Workrelated accidents were responsible for 188 cases deaths (63.9%) and home accident for 85 cases deaths (28.8%). Deaths were caused most frequently by touching an electrical cable (95 cases, 32.2%). There was an increase in electrocution deaths in the summer (119 cases, 40.3%). One hundred seventy-nine cases (60.7%) were dead on the scene of death and 94 cases (31.9%) were dead on arrival at hospital. The unique findings of our study include 10 cases (3.4%) of suicidal electrocution and a high rate of workrelated accidental electrocution among Afghan workers. CONCLUSION:Death rates from electrocution among all medico-legal deaths were found to be lower in our study than in previous reports, most of them were work-related and preventable. Workers and their employers should be educated to avoid such accidents with safety measures.
Authors: Alexandra A B G Pereira; Bianca Dias; Sarah I Castro; Marina F A Landi; Cristiano B Melo; Tais M Wilson; Gabriela R T Costa; Pedro H O Passos; Alessandro P Romano; Matias P J Szabó; Márcio B Castro Journal: Primates Date: 2019-09-28 Impact factor: 2.163